Once Upon a December
by Ashton09
Summary: Kara and Astra flee an exploding Krypton for the safety of Earth, but Kara leaves too late and is knocked off course. Astra arrives alone, and begins the search for her niece. Anastasia AU. Supercat Slow burn.
1. Chapter 1

"You must go, now," Alura says desperately, holding the door open for her daughter and sister to rush through. "There is no more time, we have waited too long."

"You should be going with her," Astra says as they watch Kara rush down the hallway towards the launch bay, running after her despite her words.

"That argument is the reason you are not already safely away," Alura says through tears she's barely holding back, watching as Zor-El gives their daughter last minute instructions for the pod she'll take to safety. "I swore that neither I nor Zor-El would leave, if we attempt an escape, even now the council will stop us. Out of spite if nothing else."

"It was the only way to save Kara," Astra reminds her sister, knowing how hard this moment is. She will be losing enough by leaving, the knowledge that her sister's last moments will be nothing but the pain of watching her daughter leave knowing she will never have a chance to see her again will be far worse. The only consolation will be the fact the pain will soon end, that Rao will hold her safe and offer the comfort of his warmth. Astra will spend the first two weeks of her journey offering her prayers to guide her world to Rao's arms, only engaging stasis once she knows they will be safe.

"Look after her," Alura whispers into Astra's hair as she pulls her close for one last desperate hug before rushing to Kara's side to say those goodbyes. Astra can see Kara struggling to be brave, to avoid allowing her tears to fall, and suddenly she can't take it any longer. The plan was always for her to launch first, to arrive first on the faraway planet that will become home to Kara and herself, and Astra is glad of that fact now. It means she can rush to her own pod and launch without feeling as if she's abandoning everything. She's doing it to protect Kara, and nothing else is important now.

X

Kara isn't scared when her parents push her into the pod that will take her to Earth. She's too overwhelmed to be scared, too unsure of what's happening to feel anything really. All she knows is her aunt has already left, her pod flying through the bay and into space to reach Earth ahead of her. That her planet is dying, and her parents will not be coming to safety with her. So although they don't have time, Kara can't help clinging to them for a moment longer, needing one last memory of their embrace to last through the cold of space and the entirety of her new life without them.

When her mother places her necklace around her neck, Kara loses the battle against her tears, but she knows she's lingered too long already, so she manages to climb into her pod and sit back, waiting for it to fly her to her aunt's side and the safety promised there. She can be strong, if not for herself then to live up to what her parents will expect from her. She is the last daughter of the House of El, and she will bear that legacy proudly on her new planet.

When Krypton explodes, twisting her pod around and giving her a clear view of the rubble of her planet slowly expanding into space with a silent dignity that ignores the millions of deaths she's witnessing, that's when the terror hits her. She can see the Phantom Zone rushing at her as her pod continues to spin, pulling her in, but she doesn't know how to adjust her course to avoid it. Her parents had locked the guidance system to handle navigation for her so that she could spend the long trip in stasis, and finding the release is beyond her knowledge.

Kara screams as her pod enters the darkness, screams for herself, for her lost world, for her parents. She screams for Astra, who will land safely and alone. Screams for the years she will spend trapped here, the endless eternities she will face in this endless void. She screams until she has no breath left, until her tears have left her eyes swollen and aching, cold seeping through the walls of her pod as the darkness around her seems to reach out, urging her to give in and give up. There is no room for hope here, and Kara soon gives up trying to hold on to the last flickering spark in her chest.

Her last thought before stasis finally takes over to free her from the torment around her is that she finally understands why this place is named after the demons of legend.


	2. Chapter 2

Minor warnings for a panic attack at the end, nothing in depth or bad, but enough that I don't want anyone to read it unaware.

Just a note because I realized after a comment that I never specified, Superman does not exist in this story. It didn't really work for the AU, so I didn't try to force him into it. Kara and Astra are the only ones who escaped, and later chapters will explain how Kara managed to get free of the Phantom Zone.

* * *

Everything is too bright when Astra lands on Earth, and for a moment it's enough to distract from the crushing sense of loss that had hit her as soon as she'd been released from stasis. The warmth of the yellow sun in the sky is foreign and unsettling, but she knows she'll adjust eventually. That's why they'd chosen Earth in the first place, for the edge the young sun will give them as they struggle to find a place on a world so unlike their own.

The need to prepare for Kara's arrival keeps the grief at bay for the next few weeks, Astra knowing that time travels differently when dealing with intergalactic travel, and that she can't expect her niece to be right behind her. It's better this way, she tries to convince herself. The time here without Kara will allow her to secure a stable environment for the two of them as they deal with their loss, before they make this world their home.

But when days turn to weeks and then months, Astra begins to worry. Even if Kara's pod had hit a disturbance in space time, it shouldn't have taken her this much longer to make the trip to Earth. Even so she forces herself to avoid panic, rationalizing that if such a thing had happened, it could have altered the landing coordinates locked into the pod's system. Perhaps Kara had landed elsewhere on Earth, and all Astra will have to do is find her.

Her new powers, while a struggle to adapt to, help her with the search. She does not go unnoticed, but nothing on this planet can harm her, and what care does she have for the people here when Kara could be lost and confused, in need of her presence?

Eventually she realizes she can use these humans, can enlist them in her search. She does not offer details, only the vaguest of information. She does however offer a reward, one of the few things she can give to the people of this world without first taking it from them. To the person who brings her Kara, she will give a full and complete interview of who she is, what her history is. It's a reward worth more than money to some, and she knows that those who care only for the money will gladly sell the opportunity to the highest bidder. She doesn't care about that, doesn't care who she tells the story of her lost planet and all the souls lost with it. She cares only for Kara, wherever the child is.

The next months of imposters clamoring for her time strain her patience to the breaking point, and eventually she reveals another of her powers to them, scorching the ground in front of the latest pretenders and sending them running. She would have killed them for daring to believe they could fool her into forgetting Kara's smile out of a deep need to have her niece near again, but she knows enough by now to hold back from that. Even if killing them would be satisfying, it would be wrong, would set the whole world against her. She may be immune to damage on this planet, but the humans have been surprisingly creative in the past, and she can't risk them finding a way to imprison her. Not when Kara could still arrive at any moment.

After the near attack on those trying to fool her, the number of answers she gets to the ad dwindle sharply, until eventually Astra hides herself away from the world, flying across its surface in careful patterns that eventually devolve into random loops, always searching for her niece. She will not, can not rest until she knows Kara is safe, even if she spends an eternity searching.

X

There is a brief moment when Kara regains consciousness that she remembers the entirety of her life before this moment. When the loss of her family and world presses down on her, when the horror of the Phantom Zone wraps around her chest and makes breathing difficult. And then her mind simply shuts down, pushing the pain and all the accompanying memories away. It's safer to forget, to allow herself a new start.

As she sits up, she wonders for a second at the people around her, not knowing who they are, or whether she should be afraid of them. At that moment she realizes she doesn't even know who she is, or what she's doing her. Her life is now a blank, and so she sits quietly, waiting for them to fill in the blanks.

"Can you tell us your name, sweetie?" the woman at the foot of the bed asks, and Kara doesn't know how to answer her. Her name is gone with her planet, with the rest of her memories. "Do you know your name?" the follow-up question comes at her silence, a frown crossing her face as Kara shakes her head no.

The rest of the questions follow a similar pattern, the woman asking as the man sits quietly in the background and the young girl stares at her with a blank look. Kara can't answer most of them, but slowly she relaxes and begins to trust these people. The woman in particular seems to pull her in, filling an ache in her chest that she barely notices against the emptiness that fills her.

They begin to call her Celeste when nothing jogs her memory, the teenage girl who Kara has learned is named Alex scoffing slightly when her father suggests it, earning a pointed look in return that quiets her quickly. And Kara knows it isn't right, the name never sitting properly in her mind, but thinking too much about it always makes her head hurt, so she learns to live with it. She can be Celeste Danvers, foster daughter of Eliza and Jeremiah, sister to Alex. That can be enough for her.

X

Kara slowly settles into her new life, slowly beginning to understand the world around her. She has times where everything is overwhelming and she just shuts down, but they gradually fade as time passes. Jeremiah manages to help her with most of her struggles, his comforting voice giving her something to focus on, a now familiar sound to cut through the chaos. She doesn't understand what's happening to her, why she's so different, but she feels like she _should_. As if there's something in her missing past that could explain. She just isn't sure she wants to know.

By the time she graduates college the episodes have mostly passed, faded into memories she rarely thinks about. It's easier to look forward, though she still isn't sure to _what_. Nothing feels right to consider, no career path stands out to her. Despite picking up her lessons with an ease that had left Alex jealous for months, nothing appeals to her. Only painting gives her a reprieve from the sense that she's drifting through the world with no place to call home, and Eliza hadn't been able to hide the doubt in her voice when she'd tried to be supportive of that option.

So rather than settle, Kara wanders. First just around their small town, then gradually into the city, searching for anything that can capture her attention and give her a path forward. She can tell Eliza doesn't approve of this either, but Alex had simply chuckled and told her to get used to that. "Mom likes things in nice little boxes," she'd said with a dark look that Kara hadn't understood at the time.

It's almost as uncomfortable to consider as the brief flashes of her past that used to come whenever she'd get scared and things would happen to her, so she pushes the feeling away the same as she always had, and resolves to always support Alex as best she can. They have to look out for each other, if no one else will.

Her wandering leads her to a small café on the edges of National City, the farthest from home she's ever been. But when she opens the doors, something about the air seems to calm her, the scents in the air familiar in a way that she doesn't understand. There's nothing strange about the smells, cinnamon heavy in the air along with a few other spices, but it speaks to her. It's not quite a sense of _home_ , but rather that she's been here before, which she knows is impossible.

Still, she gets a table and places an order, already intending to stay for a while to soak in the comfort. This is the first place she feels truly comfortable, and while she doesn't see herself becoming a waitress with her weak arms and poor endurance, she can easily see herself as a repeat customer.

"You're in my booth," a cheerful yet slightly pointed voice startles her halfway through her meal, and Kara looks up in shock to see the most beautiful woman she's ever seen standing in front of her, hands on her hips as she looks down with a soft smirk on her face. "I've sat there for two weeks now keeping an eye on the idiot across the street, and today you're in my spot."

"You could always join me," Kara manages to say, though her delivery isn't as smooth as she'd have liked. Still, it seems to work because the other woman is sliding into the booth across from her, setting a pad of paper carefully on the seat next to her as she balances her cup of coffee with her other hand.

"I don't often share what's mine," the woman says with a pointed look, but there's enough of a teasing lilt to her voice that Kara knows she'll be sitting here tomorrow and probably the day after that, just to have a chance to talk to this woman. "But you seem decent enough that I think I can manage at least a few minutes."

"To be fair, I didn't know this was your table," Kara says nervously as she adjusts her glasses. "I'm glad I didn't though," she continues at the woman's sharp glance, glad when it softens into a knowing smirk.

"Well now you know," she says, arranging her notepad carefully where she can jot notes down without being obvious, glancing out the window for a moment before turning back to the conversation. "And you being here might be a good thing, I don't want anyone getting suspicious of me sitting here alone every day."

"I'm Celeste," Kara offers, the name sitting uncomfortably in her mouth for the first time in a long time. It's the only name she remembers, but something about this woman makes it seem wrong. She isn't even sure why.

"Cat," the woman offers in return, and Kara smiles a little, because it somehow fits her. "And before you say whatever ridiculous pun you have in mind right now, know that I will throw my coffee on you and expect you to pay for the new one." It's an empty threat, Kara knows that immediately, but she can also tell that Cat has heard enough of those puns to last her a lifetime, and she has no interest in pushing.

"Well, I would hate to stain my new blouse," she teases back, loving the smile it earns her. Cat's face, already gorgeous and more than a little distracting, is radiant when she smiles, and the soft laugh that slips out is one of Kara's new favorite sounds.

"I can't say I share the same hesitation," Cat says with an eye roll, and Kara looks down at her outfit with a pout. "You look like a kindergarten teacher in that outfit, you know."

"Oh no, children scare me," Kara says immediately, shuddering with unfeigned dislike. "They're cute enough, but I'm always afraid I'll break them somehow."

Cat's laugh is stronger this time, surprised out of her as she goes to take a sip of her drink, and Kara sees the look of panic cross her face as it begins to spill, heading directly for her notepad. It's obviously important to the woman, and Kara's body acts without her brain's permission, hand shooting out faster than the eye can see to grab Cat's mug and collect the coffee in midair, setting it back to the table without a drop spilling.

"Well, that's a talent," Cat says with a shocked look, and Kara knows she looks just as surprised.

"I don't know how I did that," she whispers, head starting to ache as she hears a voice telling her she will have great powers, panic settling into her stomach as she fails to shove the memory completely away. She's normal, she's Celeste, she doesn't have powers, or memories, or anything in her past to cause the crushing fear coursing through her veins. She doesn't want any of those things.

"Celeste, breathe," Cat is saying, over and over again, as Kara manages to come out of her panic, memories once more shoved into the depths of her mind where they can't hurt her.

"I'm okay," she whispers, catching her breath as she notes Cat has moved to her side of the booth and is rubbing calming circles across her back. She hates that she's managed to make probably the worst possible impression on the woman, and wonders if she'll have the courage to come back tomorrow as she'd planned.

"Yes, you're doing wonderfully. Deep breaths, that's it. Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Cat's voice is still worried, and Kara wonders at it for a moment, having expected the woman to make some excuse and leave as soon as she'd recovered.

"I was going to grab a bus home to Midvale," she says with a shrug, because while Eliza is happy to pay for her meals as she wanders aimlessly, she draws the line at hotel rooms when Kara has a perfectly good room at home.

"You're in no condition to be stuck on a germ ridden death trap right now," Cat says disapprovingly, earning a slight chuckle from Kara. "You can stay with me, I have a guest room." Her tone brooks no arguments, and Kara is too tired to make an attempt anyway.

If Cat has seen her like this and still cares enough to offer her a bed for the night, maybe she doesn't want to complain anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

It takes twenty years before Astra allows herself to even consider the possibility that her search for Kara is doomed to fail. Twenty years of constant travel, of dealing with foolish humans desperate to use her for their own gain. And as soon as the thought crosses her mind she shoves it away, refusing to give up. She will not fail Kara; will not abandon her niece, no matter how futile the search seems at times.

Still, the constant interactions with humans tire her too much, so she takes to hiding from direct contact, preferring to depend on the few connections she's made for news. Nothing about humanity has impressed her thus far, but that hasn't stopped her from saving a few of them when she finds trouble. She may not care for them, but that doesn't mean she can stand idly by and watch them get hurt. And having citizens of this world in her debt does make things easier.

By the time the search has stretched on for thirty years, Astra no longer has any contact with anyone but a very small number of humans, preferring to search quietly on her own, the regained routine of her flights the only structure holding her life together. One day she will find evidence that Kara has survived, she has to believe that. And until that day, she will never stop looking.

Every so often one of her contacts will let her know about some promising child someone has brought to them, and every time Astra's heart breaks a little more when it isn't Kara. Why she'd ever thought enlisting human help would be a good idea is beyond her now, every false alarm cementing the thought that humanity cannot be trusted. A child on Krypton was the greatest of treasures, and for one to be lost was unheard of. But Astra likes to think that if a child did go missing, the entire planet would band together to find them, unwilling to leave a family separated. The thought of trying to trick a family for personal gain is utterly repellant to Astra, and it pushes her away from the world a little more every day.

X

Kara is surprised by what she sees in Cat's apartment, having expected something polished and almost formal based on the way she dressed and the way she'd acted in the café. Instead the space is small and cozy, warm colors everywhere and furniture obviously selected for comfort rather than theme. It makes Kara feel at home immediately, the pressure to impress leaving the moment she enters the apartment.

"The guest room is down the hall on the left, bathroom immediately next to it. My room is on the right, but I don't usually turn in until late. If you want to get settled in, I'll be out here working." Cat doesn't seem the least bit uncomfortable having Kara in her apartment, but she does keep sending speculative glances her way that Kara can't interpret. "I'll find you something to sleep in later; I have some oversize t-shirts that should fit you well enough."

"Thank you again," Kara says, not sure what else to say to fill the silence. "I'm sure I would have been fine to make it home, but I really appreciate you letting me stay here instead."

"Has anyone ever told you that you apologize too much?" Cat says, eyebrow raised in amusement as she pauses in her kitchen. "I have a guest room; you needed a place to stay that didn't require an hour or more to get there. This seemed the most logical solution."

"Still, you just met me," Kara says as she fidgets slightly. "It's a very nice thing to do for a complete stranger."

"You saved some very important notes of mine," Cat says with a dismissive wave of her hand, and Kara feels her stomach clench at the reminder. "I owed you for that, if nothing else."

"Don't mention it," Kara says, only half joking. "I'll, um, I'll just drop my stuff off in the guest room and be back out." And with that she nearly flees down the hallway, away from Cat's questioning eyes and questions Kara can't answer.

Once she's calm again she heads back into the main room, smiling a little when she sees Cat sitting curled up on the edge of the couch, poring over the mysterious notebook from earlier. She still feels unsettled when she sees it, but the look of concentration on the other woman's face as she makes quick notes brings a smile to her face regardless.

"Your apartment is lovely," she says after a moment of just watching Cat, wincing when the other woman jumps. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"You're ridiculously silent," Cat says, trying to pretend she hadn't just nearly jumped off the couch. "And I'm not exactly used to company, I nearly forgot you were even here."

"My dorm mates in college said I was an excellent roomie," Kara admits, hesitantly taking a chair across from where Cat sits. "So hopefully I don't bother you too much tonight. I'd hate to distract you from your work."

"My work isn't going much of anywhere anyway," Cat says in disgust, glaring down at the page in front of her. "Two weeks of watching a store for any sign of drug trafficking, and all I have are lists of balding men with bad taste in fashion, who may be there for drugs or who may just be that dedicated to horrible suits."

"You think that shop is part of a drug ring?" Kara asks in surprise, because she hadn't had a single idea what Cat could be watching them for, and definitely hadn't considered drugs being anywhere in the occasion. "Isn't it dangerous to be watching then?"

"A bit," Cat says with a shrug, not seeming bothered by the possibility. "But I need a good story so I can write an article that can move my career out of gossip columns and into something real. Exposing a major crime ring the police have no idea about would certainly qualify."

Kara frowns a little at that, not liking the idea of the woman who has helped her so much today in that much risk. "Is that what you meant when you said it might be a good thing I was there? You didn't want to seem as suspicious?"

"You're quick," Cat says, clearly impressed. "And not just physically, apparently." Kara shifts uncomfortably at the reminder, and Cat seems to notice. "Are you okay? I don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Kara fights down a wave of rising panic, refusing to give in a second time today. She can have a conversation about what had happened without breaking down, she knows she can. "I don't really know what happened," she repeats her earlier statement, voice shaking only slightly. "But something about it seems wrong, somehow."

"I won't make you talk about it," Cat says quickly, though Kara can hear the carefully buried reluctance in her voice. "I may be a reporter, but I know when to let a story go and when to follow it." There's more to that statement than Kara can understand, but she hears the honesty in Cat's voice and that gives her the courage to open up, just a little.

"I don't remember most of my childhood," she starts, not sure why she's comfortable sharing this but knowing somehow that she can trust the woman in front of her. "Any time I try, or any time something reminds me of it, I shut down. Like I did in the café. Today though, I heard someone talking to me, in a voice I don't remember, even though I know I should."

"What did it say?" Cat asks quietly, face soft as she looks at Kara in sympathy.

" _You will have great powers on this planet_ ," she says, closing her eyes and shuddering a little as the memory makes her feel cold, even as it also warms her in a way she doesn't understand. "What?" she ask when she opens her eyes and sees Cat looking at her strangely.  
"Nothing, just, can you say that again? If it won't push too much?" Cat asks, and Kara looks at her in confusion for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, steeling herself to do as Cat requested. "Celeste, that isn't English," Cat says once Kara calms herself again, speaking slowly to avoid startling her.

"But I don't speak any other languages," Kara says, face blank in shock as she considers that. "I tried to take French in high school, but I couldn't ever remember even the names of the colors and my teacher eventually kicked me out."

"It's definitely not French," Cat says thoughtfully, looking down at her phone. "I speak French fluently, and I can get by in another four. Then there's the six I recognize even if I can't hold a conversation. What you said was in none of those languages. It didn't even sound close." It's getting to be too much for Kara, and Cat obviously realizes that as she looks up, quickly setting her notebook and phone aside to stand and cross the room. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push. Deep breaths, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Kara apologizes as she gets her breathing under control, embarrassed that she's now done this twice in one day.

"You apologize far too much," Cat says with a wry grin. "I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you. We don't have to talk about it anymore. We can talk about something else, anything else."

"Tell me about your work?" Kara asks hesitantly, not sure she can ask anything more personal despite a growing desire to learn everything there is to know about the woman who seems to care so much after such a short time. "You mentioned you're a reporter, what's that like?"

"At the moment frustrating or intensely boring," Cat says, perching on the arm of Kara's chair and resting a calming hand on her back. "But I suppose to someone who isn't stuck writing fluff pieces about what actress wore what dress, it could be interesting."

"I'm pretty sure you can make even that capture my attention," Kara laughs, Cat's disdain enough to distract her from the lingering discomfort curling through her stomach. "A woman who has the courage to stake out a possible drug den by herself has to be great at what she does."

"Oh, I am," Cat says with a smirk. "But no one takes you seriously no matter how well you capture the image of a gown's graceful folds. That's why I'm willing to take the risk to break a story. Nothing else will make them respect me."

The spark in Cat's eyes and the pride in her voice captures Kara's attention far better than anything else has in a long time, and they spend hours talking until Kara finally yawns, the emotions of the day catching up to her.

"Here, let me find you that shirt," Cat says as soon as she notices, rising with what seems like reluctance to head down the hallway. "I don't have anything scheduled tomorrow until an interview at one, but I usually wake around six. Is there a time you want me to wake you?"

"Not six," Kara says with a shudder. "I'll probably wake on my own around seven or eight though, unless that's too late. I don't want to impose." She's sad to realize she'll be leaving tomorrow, but she can't expect Cat to put her up indefinitely. Even if they weren't almost complete strangers, that would be too much.

"Whenever you get up is fine," Cat reassures her immediately. "I'll start breakfast at seven thirty, though obviously coffee will be ready long before then."

"You don't have to feed me," Kara tries to protest, because she's always been able to eat more than anyone would expect by looking at her, and she doesn't want to put that burden on Cat. "I eat a lot, so I usually go somewhere and order something."

"Don't be ridiculous, the first rule of having guests is that you never let them go hungry," Cat says, her tone ending the discussion. "Now go get cleaned up while I grab the shirt, and then I'll see you in the morning."

Later, when Kara has finally settled into bed, she wonders why she feels so comfortable around Cat. She barely knows her, but she feels as if they've known each other for weeks or months already. Eventually she thinks back as far as her memories stretch, and realizes she'd felt the same way about her foster family when she'd met them. Whatever the specific reason, something about her family, and now Cat, just makes her feel safe and understood. That realization follows her as she slips into sleep.

She wakes what seems like mere moments later, Cat shaking her roughly and tears coursing down her face. Memories are briefly clear in her mind before fading into the uncertainty of half remembered nightmares, brief glimpses of a red sky and a bright smile shattering into a thousand pieces cutting through her mind as she sobs. Warm arms are around her, but she doesn't register their presence, too lost in her grief and fear, until she finally cries herself out.

When she does she's surprised to notice Cat still there, holding her close in an embrace that should be too tight but somehow isn't, whispering calming words into her hair as she rocks gently back and forth. She wants to apologize, to explain, but she can't form words or pull back from the comforting hold. Instead she lets Cat soothe her, until finally she manages to fall asleep once more.

This time, she doesn't dream at all.


	4. Chapter 4

It takes Kara a long minute to wake up the next morning, as comfortable as she is. She doesn't want the moment to end, enjoys the warmth surrounding her far too much. Waking means dealing with the night before, means leaving the comfort she's managed to find and facing the cold world around her.

In the end it's the realization that the warm feeling surrounding her is the woman she's only met the day before that jolts her into full alertness, though she's careful not to move and disturb her. Cat has one arm under her head and the other draped over her, holding Kara turned close into her side. It can't be comfortable, and yet she's sleeping peacefully despite the fact the sunlight streaming into the room makes it obvious it's well past eight.

Despite the firm grip Cat has on her, Kara slowly begins to slide away, hoping if she moves slowly enough she won't wake the other woman with her movements. It almost works, but at the last moment Kara slips against the sheets and suddenly Cat is opening her eyes in surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Kara says quickly, knowing she's blushing but unable to help it. She feels comfortable around Cat yes, but that doesn't make waking up in her arms after horrible nightmares any easier.

"It's fine," Cat grumbles, voice heavy with sleep. "Are you okay? Sleep better the second time around?" Thankfully there's no judgement in her tone, which lets Kara's blush fade from glow in the dark to a more normal flush.

"I did. You didn't have to stay in here though," Kara says quietly, because as much as she knows the woman's presence probably helped, she hates having inconvenienced her. "I'm glad you woke me up, obviously, but I've been enough of a burden already."

"Hardly that," Cat says, sitting up quickly to look at her sharply. "A burden would imply that I was unwilling to help, or that I did so reluctantly." Her tone invites no argument, so rather than continue to protest or apologize Kara simply nods. She might not agree, but she won't risk upsetting Cat.

Whatever she _would_ have said is lost as her phone rings shrilly into the silence, and Kara shoots Cat an apologetic glance as she reaches for it, barely glancing at the screen to see that it's Alex calling before she answers. "Hello?" She mouths 'my sister' to Cat as Alex starts in, getting an interested nod in reply before turning her attention back to the call.

" _Celeste, where the hell are you and why do I have Mom calling me at eight on a Sunday morning worrying about you?"_ Alex sounds more worried than angry, though she's clearly trying to pretend she's not. And Kara can only wince, because even though she's an adult, with a college degree, Eliza worries as if she's still thirteen rather than twenty four, and she knows that.

"I forgot to call her," she says apologetically, standing and starting to pace the room, aware that Cat is watching her but not particularly caring. If the woman hadn't run after two panic attacks and nightmares that led to sharing a bed, a little family drama should be nothing. She's made a far worse impression so far anyway. "I'm in the city, a friend offered to let me stay the night instead of taking a bus back home."

"A friend huh?" Cat says from the bed, leaning back on the headboard with a smirk on her face. "So, we're friends now, are we Celeste?" She's teasing and Kara knows it, so she spares a moment from listening to Alex rant to stick her tongue out at her, loving the way her childish behavior earns a laugh from the other woman.

" _I thought all your friends moved out of the city,"_ Alex says when she finishes lecturing about the importance of making sure someone knows where you are at all times, especially in the city. As seriously as she takes her responsibility to protect Kara, she's still her big sister and can still be distracted by the little things. _"And you didn't mention that you were meeting anyone when you called Friday night."_ Her tone isn't exactly suggestive, but Kara can tell she's starting to form a few suspicions that are only half true at best.

"They did," Kara agrees, because she's horrible at lying and Alex will see through her in a second. "But it is possible to make new friends you know." She ignores the fact that she hadn't made a new friend in years, had barely made the few friends she'd had in college, and hadn't tried too hard to keep in touch when they moved away. Other than Alex, who is the best friend anyone could ask for and the only friend Kara needs, she really doesn't have anyone else. Until Cat, apparently.

" _You suck at making friends,"_ Alex says, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth that Kara had avoided. _"So be honest, did you forget to call mom because you were in the middle of some National City Saturday night hookup? Because if so I'm hanging up now to let you get back to that and you can call me with details later."_

"No!" Kara says in shock, earning a raised eyebrow from Cat at her sudden vehemence. "Look, Alex, I'm sorry I didn't call mom, but everything's fine and nothing happened." She hopes Cat doesn't understand what she's telling her sister and just assumes the panic attacks have happened before, because she really doesn't know how to explain this to the woman. Sure she's attractive, and Kara is at least decently secure in her own looks, but she'd just met the woman and comfort in her presence aside knows far too little about her to entertain the thought of more.

"She's welcome to come by if she's in town," Cat offers suddenly, surprising Kara into silence. "I'm not normally one to host strangers in my apartment, but I think that after everything I can make another exception this time. If she needs convincing you're okay, that is."

"I really should just be heading home," Kara says awkwardly, the silence on the other end of the phone telling her that Alex is listening carefully for any clues, suspicions still raised despite Kara's denials. "Alex just worries too much." That earns a muffled _'hey'_ from her sister that Kara pointedly ignores, trying to wordlessly convince Cat that everything is fine.

"I promised you breakfast, and obviously Alex has worried enough about you, so trust me when I say it's okay to invite her over." Kara thinks it's probably a bad sign that she already can't say no to Cat, but with Alex in her ear obviously having caught bits of the conversation and urging her just to accept, she knows she doesn't have a chance.

"If you're sure," she says, ignoring the smug chuckles from Alex that she knows means endless teasing later, shrinking back slightly at the mild glare Cat sends her way. The smile tugging at her mouth is enough to soften it and convince Kara that she isn't actually angry, but something about Cat glaring at her is intimidating enough even with that.

"Just let her know the address and as whether she'll be wanting breakfast too so I know how much to make," Cat says with a dismissive flick of her wrist, and Kara is again struck by how comfortable being around Cat feels, as if they've known each other for years. Cat is making her breakfast, willingly inviting her sister into her apartment, and all within 24 hours of meeting.

"She says yes to breakfast," Kara says without needing to ask, because Alex is on the other line crowing about free food loudly enough that she's surprised Cat doesn't hear her. Hopefully her sister won't embarrass her too much when she actually arrives…

X

"Tell me that's not what you wore to find a hook up," Alex says as soon as Kara opens the door, thankfully quietly enough that Cat doesn't hear from where she's busy in the kitchen. "Because I know I taught you better than that."

"It wasn't a hook up," Kara hisses, fiddling with her glasses and second guessing every bit of her decision to invite Alex. "It was a kind gesture, that's all." Her nerves obviously don't help her case any if the way Alex's eyes narrow in her direction are anything to go by, but Kara tries not to give anything else away. "We just met yesterday anyway, and you know that's not my usual type."

"You met her yesterday, stayed at her apartment all night, were still here when I called, and you expect me to believe nothing happened," Alex asks in disbelief, sending a calculated look towards where Cat is pointedly ignoring them. "Seriously Celeste, look me in the eye and tell me you didn't sleep with her."

"What?! Of course we didn't sleep together!" Kara whispers in shock, fighting to keep her voice quiet.

"Your words say no but the flush on your cheeks says there are juicy details you're hiding," Alex says with a smirk, crossing her arms and waiting for Kara's response.

"Nothing happened," she says immediately, wincing at the way Alex's smirk widens. "It _didn't_. I had a nightmare and she woke me from it, and then stayed until I fell asleep. Well, technically until I woke up." She really should have left that last detail out if the way Alex's eyes widen is any indication, but Kara is saved by Cat announcing that breakfast is ready behind her, granting a momentary reprieve.

Conversation flows easily over food, though Kara can feel Alex glancing between them every so often, obviously studying their interactions for any clues. She's determined not to give her anything to go on, especially when nothing happened, but she knows Alex will at least pick up on Kara's comfort here. And that she still doesn't have an answer for.

"So, I have to admit I would not have guessed you were sisters," Cat says as they clear their places, both sisters refusing to let her do all the work. "Cousins maybe, or very close childhood friends from the way you act alike, but the physical similarities just aren't there."

"Oh, I'm adopted," Kara says with an attempt at nonchalance, though she feels the familiar tightening in her stomach that always comes when discussing her past. "When I was thirteen, or at least that's what we guessed." She can tell Alex is tensing as well, though it shouldn't be obvious to anyone that doesn't know her. For some reason her sister had always been just as touchy when the subject comes up.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Cat says after a moment spent looking between them. "I didn't mean to pry." Kara can tell she means it, that she regrets bringing up what could easily be a painful topic, and speaks up before she can think too much about it to ease that guilt.

"It's okay, I don't really remember it anyway," she admits. "Just waking up and not knowing where I was. The Danvers took me in, gave me a place to belong, and where I came from never seemed that important after that." It's a lie, but it's the closest Kara can come to telling the truth. She'd wanted to know her past a few times over the years, but every time she thought about looking into it she'd shut down before getting anywhere.

"And you'll always have a place with us," Alex says quietly from where she's standing with her arms folded tightly across her chest, looking troubled but clearly meaning what she says.

Cat looks between them once again, eyes calculating as she takes in their stances, obviously noting their various tells. It makes Kara wonder what the woman sees from her, how much of her muted fear is clear in her face or body, how much of her lingering unease. And Alex, usually so hard to read, might not present as much of a challenge to a woman skilled and brave enough to stake out a drug den by herself.

"Well, Celeste, if you ever want help looking I would be glad to offer my help. I may not have my name on many serious bylines just yet, but that doesn't mean the skills aren't there." The offer is almost gentle despite Cat's slightly brusque tone, the softness around her eyes telling Kara that she truly means her offer of help. It's a tell of her own, and Kara wonders when she'd studied Cat closely enough to pick up on it.

She also sees the sudden increased tension in Alex's frame, and after a moment of careful study realizes that her sister doesn't want her to accept Cat's offer. And usually that would be enough to keep Kara from doing something, but despite the fear she feels and the knowledge that finding out what secrets her past hides will be unimaginably painful, Kara wants to know. The brief flashes of memory over the past day have stoked her curiosity in ways nothing else has, and she thinks she might be ready to face whatever she finds. That it might be worth it, in the end.

"I think I'll take you up on that," Kara says with a small smile, ignoring Alex's look of sudden panic. "Maybe it's time to find out who I was." She's careful not to dismiss who she is now, because what the Danvers have given her is worth more to her than words can describe. They're her family, and she is who she is now because of them. But there are thirteen years of her life that she can't account for, experiences and memories that could have shaped her life as well, and part of her longs for that.

Cat looks surprised at Kara's acceptance, and a little calculating as she takes in Alex's reaction. "Well, the first step is always to gather the basic information," is all she says, but something in her tone tells Kara to brace for what comes next. "So Alex, I think that means we start with you."

"What do you mean?" Alex says quickly, face carefully blank.

"You're the only one here with memories of how Celeste was found, so if we're starting at the beginning you're the obvious starting point. Anything you remember could give us a clue where to look next." There's definitely a calculating look on Cat's face now, and Kara wonders if this was such a good idea after all. She trusts Cat beyond what reason says she should, but she can't help the flicker of unease when she sees Alex tense in response.

"I don't really know how I could help, I was only fourteen," is all Alex says, and Kara suddenly knows her sister has more information than she's letting on.

"Alex, please," Kara asks, trying to keep her sudden desperation out of her voice. She's pushed her past away for so long, now that she's decided to search it out she can't take not knowing everything there is to know. Even if it isn't all the answers, she needs to know what she can.

"Celeste, you have to be sure about this," Alex says seriously, and Kara sees Cat straighten in her seat at the sudden weight in her tone. "Any time we tried to talk about it in the past, you shut down. You weren't ready to hear. If that hasn't changed, then I won't risk hurting you again."

"I need to know," Kara whispers, unable to speak any louder. "Please, Alex, I need you to tell me. I don't know why, but there's something inside me that needs to hear what you know."

"Okay," Alex says reluctantly before turning to Cat. "Then the second thing I need is to know you won't publish this, that you won't hurt my sister. I know you don't know her well enough to ask that of you, but I am anyway. I need to know that your need for a story won't put Celeste in danger."

"You don't have to worry," Cat says instantly, a trace of pain hiding in the tightness of her lips. "I will never write anything that would put another person in danger, or hide a truth that would do the same. I've learned that lesson well enough for ten lifetimes."

The sisters look at each other as they take that in, before Kara nods at Alex, signaling her to start. It's time to find out who she is.

X

Astra turns from the latest imposter without even a sigh, unable to manage a reaction beyond deep sorrow. It's been thirty three years of constant searching for her niece, and those years have taken their toll. She's seen too much of this world, and yet not enough to find Kara. Instead she's found greed, and selfishness, and more hatred than she'd thought could exist in a culture that still somehow thrived.

And while she will never stop searching, will never relinquish the small flicker of hope that still resides in her heart, she cannot take the strain of human interaction any longer. Every false hope nearly kills her, cleaving her already broken heart into increasingly smaller pieces.

"I will find you, Kara, I promise you that," she whispers into the night sky before taking off, leaving human society behind.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't have answers," Alex starts, looking at Kara apologetically. "We were never certain of anything, really. Not where you came from, not who you are."

"Anything you can tell us will help," Cat says before Alex can continue with her justifications. "We aren't going to solve this in one day, so quit worrying about that. Investigations take time; they take following steps and building a case. This will be no different."

"You fell from the sky," Alex says after taking a deep breath, looking down at her hands now as if she's struggling to get the words out. "We were looking for meteorite fragments, there was a meteor shower that night and a few were large enough to make it through the atmosphere. Dad wanted a few to study for a paper he was writing, and Mom thought it would be a good family bonding trip. So we headed to the mountains to track them as they landed. One was so much larger than the others, Dad couldn't resist."

"I don't understand," Kara says, shaking her head. It feels somehow simultaneously too full and completely empty, as if a pressure is building behind her eyes and a vacuum is draining all thought. She knows what Alex is talking about, but something is holding that knowledge out of reach, blocking her from remembering.

"The large meteorite wasn't a meteorite," Alex continues, staring at Kara as she carefully chooses her words. "It was some kind of ship, and you were in it. You were unconscious, muttering things we couldn't understand. And when you woke up, you didn't remember anything. Your name, where you were from, whatever language you were speaking, it was all gone." Her words are soft, but they hit Kara like a hammer, driving the breath from her lungs, and it's only with an inhuman amount of strength that Kara fights back another round of panic.

"But I'm just Celeste," she whispers, trying to make sense of this new information. Part of her knows it's the truth, while another part of her screams that it makes no sense, that it can't possibly be true.

"You did speak in another language I didn't recognize last night," Cat points out, and Alex jumps as if she'd forgotten the other woman was in the room. "And whoever you were before you became Celeste, maybe that girl spoke another language."

Kara pushes up from where she'd been sitting at the table, suddenly needing to move, to get some air, to get anywhere but where she is now. She'd wanted to know, she still _does_ want to know, but she needs to see the sky, to know she isn't trapped. She's always been vaguely claustrophobic, but this is something far more immediate. "I need air," she says by way of explanation as she heads towards the door, running down the stairs with a total disregard for her safety. She'll be back, can already feel the draw towards the answers somewhere in what Alex has told them, but first she needs this.

Cat ends up being the one who finds her, which surprises Kara. She'd expected Alex to be right behind her, unwilling to leave her side until Kara was fully calm once more. Instead it's Cat who tracks her down, wordlessly sitting next to her on the low garden wall she'd stopped at, watching people pass as Kara stares up at the sky, wondering how she could ever have fallen from such a height.

"I can't believe they chose the name Celeste," she says once Kara's breathing has evened out, shaking her head in disbelief. "You fell from the sky, so they gave you a name that means 'from the Heavens'? Your adoptive family might be great, but they gain no points for originality." The amusement in her voice barely masks the worry, but it's enough to get a laugh from Kara. If she can just pretend, just keep moving, she can get past this and start to deal with what it all means.

"It never seemed right to me," Kara admits, still looking up into the sky because it's easier to be honest if she's not looking at Cat, if she doesn't see whatever look of pity is sure to be on the woman's face. "I tried so hard to make it fit, but it never did. _I_ never did."

"You never had all of the information," Cat says softly, reaching out to place a hand on Kara's knee. "An incomplete puzzle might show a picture, but by definition it can't show you everything. I think Celeste is just one part of your image, and you've begun to notice the empty spaces."

"How do you know exactly what to say?" Kara asks rather than responding to that, finally looking down at Cat. There's none of the pity Kara had been expecting, just soft understanding and more concern than she knows how to process. "We've barely met, I've made the worst impression possible, and now we find out I'm apparently an alien from outer space. And yet you're not only still here, you're here saying exactly what I need to hear."

Cat doesn't answer immediately, her eyes losing focus as she thinks, but Kara can't look away. It's a reaction to the emotions of the morning and Cat's constant support, she knows that, but for a moment Kara wants nothing more than to lean over and kiss the other woman. It startles her, because Kara has never felt that way before. She's never really dated, though Alex had tried to set her up with someone a few times in the past nothing ever came of those attempts and her sister had eventually given up. There had always been something missing, some spark of connection. And now the onslaught of near memories and confusing emotions are mixing with the comfort Kara somehow feels around Cat, and that just confuses her more.

"Words are what I do best," Cat eventually answers, still clearly thinking through her words. "I'll admit that when you first saved my notes, I invited you to stay not just because you needed a place, but because I wanted the story. That might not be very noble of me, but it's the truth and I'm not well known for my kindness." The words hurt, but Kara appreciates the truth. And it's not like she can blame Cat for that, not when they'd literally just met. Her actions had still been kind, no matter what her motivation.

"No matter why you invited me, it was still a kindness," Kara says firmly, because words are not _her_ strong suit, but she knows that is what Cat needs to hear right now.

"I'm glad you're easier on me than I am," Cat says wryly, though Kara can feel the easing of tension in her shoulders despite the inches between them. "And I have to admit; somewhere along the way it became hard to think of you as a story. Promise to Alex aside, I really do want to help you. Not for a story, for a chance at an article, but because of how much strength you've shown even in just the last day."

"Some strength," Kara says with a dismissive laugh, curling tighter around herself. "I've been a wreck, sobbing incoherently more than I've held an actual conversation with you."

"And then you willingly faced the knowledge that caused those situations, knowing that it could hurt you but choosing to face it anyway," Cat points out gently, tightening her grip on Kara's knee reassuringly. "There is nothing weak about breaking down, Celeste, that's a lesson that's tough to learn, but one that helps more than you can imagine."

They sit silently after that as Kara thinks over Cat's advice, her reassurances, and the earlier rush of emotions that have faded in the discussion since. She knows she should be focusing on what Alex has told her, but it's hard to wrap her mind around the possibility, especially when Cat is still at her side keeping other thoughts present.

"How did you convince Alex to let you find me?" Kara asks when her thoughts have exhausted themselves racing in circles, realizing how strange it is that her sister still hasn't come to check on her.

"We reached an understanding," Cat says with a wave of her hand, and Kara fixes her with an unimpressed look until she continues. "I pointed out that while she has no reason to feel guilty; this situation is emotional for both of you, and a relatively neutral third party might be a better choice to seek you out."

"I doubt she liked that," Kara mutters, because Alex has been fiercely protective of her for so many years that she no longer remembers a time when she wasn't. "She takes what she sees as her responsibility to me very seriously."

"And that is why she eventually agreed," Cat points out. "You're right, she didn't like the idea, but she liked the thought of upsetting you further even less. Especially unintentionally. You both needed a bit of space."

"Thank you," is all Kara can say to that, feeling grateful that she'd somehow met the woman next to her yesterday.

X

It turns out that Alex had given Cat a few more details about finding Kara before the woman had sought her out, and Cat promises to look into everything she can over the next few days. Alex and Kara meanwhile will head back to Midvale, where Kara will try to remember anything she can from before she'd woken at the Danvers' house, anything that could give them another clue. The hope is that the familiar setting will comfort her as she faces the emotions and pain of her past, though Kara isn't sure that anything could soften a blow so severe she'd forgotten an entire life to avoid facing.

Cat had wondered whether the memory loss was due to emotional or physical trauma, but Kara can tell by the way her brain aches and her stomach clenches that it's purely emotional. She doesn't even need Alex to tell them she'd been perfectly healthy when she'd been found, though she files that information away carefully with the other scraps of knowledge on the off chance it will help.

No one tells Eliza what Kara has begun to remember, afraid of what her reaction will be. For Alex, far too familiar with her mother's disappointment, the thought that she could be accused of failing to protect her sister is too much. For Kara, who still feels any disapproval with a sting far beyond its actual impact, it's the fear of disappointing the only mother figure she remembers that keeps her quiet.

Kara quickly finds out that remembering what has been forgotten is harder than it would seem, though part of her wonders if she's working hard enough. She wants to know, feels a constant pull, a need that thrums through her veins with every beat of her heart, but she's also afraid. And that fear might be pushing at her attempts, sabotaging them despite her best efforts.

"Look, smell and sight are the two senses that are most likely to spark memories," Alex says in desperation one day after finding Kara sulking after yet another failed attempt. "So maybe we try to recreate situations where you've remembered things before, now that you actually want the memories."

It sounds like voluntary torture, but Kara agrees. Nothing else is working, and tomorrow they're due to head back into the city to compare notes with Cat. Kara doesn't want to turn up empty handed to that, though she knows from the few texts they've exchanged that Cat doesn't have much more to go on than they do at this point.

"The popcorn machine always freaked me out," Kara says with a deep breath to prepare, because while she's gotten almost used to the sound over the years, it still sets her heart racing every time. "Those fall nights where you'd pop the popcorn while Eliza and Jeremiah watched movies and I stared at the fireplace trying to distract myself, I almost always had to shut down to avoid panicking."

"Then we start there," Alex says confidently, though Kara can see the uncertainty and worry hiding in her eyes. "You go start a fire and I'll get started when it's safe."

Kara can't help snorting at the words, because of everything she feels right now, safe is not part of it. She trusts Alex, wants to know what pieces of her life are missing, hopes that she will find out without losing her sanity, but safety isn't anywhere on the list. She feels adrift, searching for answers to a question she can't fully form yet. 'Who was I' is too vague, too impossible to define. 'What did I leave behind' is closer to complete, but she has no context for that particular query. She won't know what she's looking for until she finds it.

When the fire is lit and the flames have taken well, Kara calls for Alex to begin, settling herself carefully on the couch as she stares into the flickering tongues in front of her, searching for answers in their ever changing depths.

The first kernels sound impossibly loud in her ears as the warmth of the fire in front of her seems to spread across her limbs, the red glow filling her eyes until she can see nothing else. And then the popping starts in earnest, and suddenly she is transported back, the vision in front of her fading into memory as she watches a world explode in red light that matches that of the star behind it, the debris flung her way peppering her ship like the popping of the kernels. The explosion itself was silent in the vacuum of space, but her ship feels the impact as surely as her heart.

It's not until she finally registers Alex shaking her shoulders that Kara comes back to herself, tearing her mind away from the destruction of a planet she still cannot name and back to the present. Tears are streaming down her face as she feels the loss of a world locked in her unreachable memories, and she can only make out the vague shape of her sister next to her before being pulled into strong arms that hold her close, stroking her hair and back in soothing patterns that gradually ground her.

"I saw my planet die," she whispers when the tears finally slow, needing to say the words to face the reality they hold. "I can't even remember what planet it was, or who I left behind, but I can see it dying every time I close my eyes. Oh god, Alex, it hurts."

And with that the tears are back, though the uncontrollable sobbing has faded into something that offers at least some form of relief, a lessening of the weight that has tightened around her chest and makes breathing difficult. It's miniscule, but it's a start, and it gives Kara the reassurance she needs that in the end, she'll be able to make it through this.

X

It's luck that leads Astra to the remains of Kara's pod, she can admit that much. A stray wind blows her off course just enough to catch the glimpse of sunlight off the control fin, the shade unlike any other on Earth. After that it takes barely a second to close the distance, her heart beating irregularly in her chest as she refuses to dwell on what she might find within. She's had faith for so long, she can hold onto it for a few minutes more.

A sigh of relief forces it's way past her lips without permission when she finds no sign of Kara's body within the pod. Her niece has arrived on Earth, and survived the trip and landing. Whatever else she finds here, she now knows that much. Her searching has not been in vain.

The state of the pod and its computer systems does present some worry as she examines them. It's clear from the layers of dirt on the surface, as well as the growth of vegetation around it, that the pod has been here for years. She's no expert on Earth fauna, but she estimates that the growth spans at least ten years based on the intricacy of the vines and how completely they cover the sides of the ship.

The computer gives her a more exact range, though she still doesn't know how to convert Kryptonian measurements of time to Earth standards well enough for an exact date. Roughly eleven Earth years have passed since the pod landed, and the systems confirm that Kara had been alive at that time, and that she had not left alone, or with any sign of struggle or hostility. It's a relief to Astra, though she does worry at the thought Kara has not sought her out in so long.

So lost in thought at that, she nearly misses the sound of humans attempting to sneak up on her. From the careful footsteps and the occasional click of safeties she can tell they are military, and while Astra had resigned her commission to work on saving her planet, she had not been a General for no reason. Even armies on Earth had potential, and while nothing can harm her, she doesn't want to deal with a battle now. Not when hurting any of them could mean humans turning against her, or delay her continued search for Kara.

When the first soldier opens fire without warning, Astra realizes that a fight may be unavoidable. To attack an apparently unprepared target, one who has carefully avoided any sign of aggression since showing frustration at the actions of those who would harm her reeks of cowardice, and a foe like that cannot be reasoned with.

Still, between her abilities and her training, Astra easily dodges the bullets speeding her way, not wanting to deal with the distracting sensation of them ricocheting off her body, or risk them bouncing off her and into one of the other soldiers stalking her. Reason or no, she doesn't care to see anyone hurt because of the idiocy of a few.

The second barrage is harder to escape, and not only because more of the soldiers join in. Something about the bullets slows her, weakening her despite the fact none come close to hitting her. That alone is enough to worry her, even without the confidence she can now see on the faces of the soldiers around her, confidence that says they are prepared for her in a way she hadn't anticipated. Something about their ammunition must be different than any she's seen before, possibly capable of actually harming her. And if they can harm her, they can harm Kara. Kara, who is so much more unprepared for a situation such as this one.

With that realization spurring her on, Astra doesn't hesitate to charge the apparent leader of the troops surrounding her, forcing past her fatigue to move faster than he can track, carefully regulating her strength to knock him to the ground without harming him before she relieves him of his weapons, intending to study them until she understands how the humans have found a substance that could break through the invulnerability their sun provides her.

She knows Kara is alive and out there somewhere, now Astra must ensure than when she is found, she remains safe. Nothing else is acceptable.


	6. Chapter 6

Kara wakes to soft fingers threading through her hair and the sound of quiet voices in the background, and for a moment strongly debates the benefits of pretending she's still asleep. Eliza is home, and there's no way she'll be able to pretend she's fine once her foster mother sees her face. It's bad enough she's asleep during the day when she's never so much as needed a power nap before, she knows her face will give her away within seconds.

The worry in Eliza's voice decides her, and Kara resolutely keeps her eyes closed, holding carefully still to avoid giving herself away. Until she gets some handle on what she's feeling, she won't add to things. As guilty as she feels, as much as it seems like lying, she doesn't want to deal with Eliza's concerned lecture about this. She's made a decision, and she knows Eliza will feel obligated to try and talk her out of it. And after all she's already been through for answers, even knowing there will be more to face, she can't give up now.

"Are you sure she's okay?" Eliza is saying when Kara guiltily tunes into the conversation, nearly giving herself away with a sigh at how her foster mother is nagging her sister over something like a nap. To be fair the concern is valid, because Kara is definitely _not_ okay, but it's also definitely not on Alex to fix.

"Mom, she's fine. I told you that. It's a nap, not a coma." The annoyance is as clear in Alex's voice as the worry in Eliza's, and Kara has to fight down a smile, because it's just so them. She's never really understood their relationship, but Alex has reassured her that it's not really something that can be understood.

"Don't you take that tone with me, Alex," Eliza scolds right on cue. No conversation between these two can be easy, and Kara is almost used to that by now.

"You're the one who is going to wake her," Alex points out, because Eliza's voice has been slowly rising for several minutes while Alex remains calm on at least the surface. Kara knows it's all as much of an act as her continued unconsciousness, can feel the tension in Alex's muscles where her head rests, but there's no trace of that in her voice. "If you're that worried, even though we know she doesn't get sick and she's not running a fever, go make her some chicken soup or something. Food always cheers her up."

Kara assumes Eliza sends Alex a sharp look when she feels a twitch that seems like a wince, but hears footsteps leave the room for the kitchen anyway. The fight is over, at least for now. "You can quit pretending now," Alex says after a minute, and Kara smiles at how well her sister knows her. "She's worried enough to be in there cooking for the next hour at least."

"I should have jumped in," Kara says as she opens her eyes, turning onto her back to look up at Alex as they talk. "I'm sorry I let you deal with her alone."

"I'm used to it," Alex says with a shrug, and Kara frowns, because that's not what she meant, and it hurts a little to think of all the times Alex has faced Eliza's disapproval over the years. "Besides, I'd probably do the same in your position." It's a lie, and they both know it, but it breaks the tension enough to let the moment pass.

"Maybe we should tell her," Kara says as she closes her eyes, no longer wincing at the images of a planet dying that bombard her as she does. It hurts, but it's a memory so clear it's almost tangible and that means she's getting somewhere. I know we'd have to convince her we know what we're doing, but maybe she remembers something that could help us."

"Unless you want to put the search off for another few years, I think we better stick to the plan," Alex says wryly, and Kara sighs in agreement. There's no way they could convince Eliza that trusting someone else with this knowledge is a good idea, let alone a reporter desperate for a good story. "Besides, you're the one convinced Cat will be able to dig something up with what we do know. Don't tell me you're losing your hookup confidence already."

"It wasn't a hookup!" Kara hisses, face reddening in embarrassment the same way it has all week, much to Alex's delight. "I told you nothing happened, and then I told you again, and _then_ I told you ever word she said that night so you could see that _nothing happened_."

"And yet you still memorized every word she said to you," Alex points out, poking Kara in the side as she pouts. "Come on, that means something."

"It means I have a good memory," Kara says stubbornly, because that's the truth. It also ignores that moment on the garden wall when she'd wanted to kiss the other woman, but Alex doesn't need to know that. Not when it had only been a reaction to the emotional rollercoaster she'd been on, not when nothing will come of it. Telling Alex will only give her more ammunition to use against Kara as she teases.

"If you say so," Alex says doubtfully, and Kara sticks her tongue out at her. "Real mature, Celeste. How are you ever going to get the girl if you act like a child?"

"I've already told you I don't want to get the girl," Kara points out, shifting uncomfortably at Alex's words. Her sister clearly thinks it's a reaction to the point she'd made if the way her smirk deepens is anything to go by, so with a deep sigh Kara continues, hoping she won't hurt Alex's feelings or make her feel guilty. "And can you maybe just, I don't know, not call me that for a while?"

Alex looks surprised at the request, looking down at her with a blank expression for a moment as the words register. "Do you remember your birth name?" she asks after a moment, and Kara shakes her head. That much is still lost to her, but the name she'd been given still sits wrong.

"No, it's just weird," Kara tries to explain. "It's the only name I know, but it doesn't feel like me. It never really did, but especially now it just feels wrong somehow."

"Then I won't use it," Alex says instantly, easing some of Kara's worry. "You know I'll do whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable."

"Except stop teasing me about Cat," Kara grumbles, and the smirk Alex shoots her is enough to calm lingering worries that she'd overstepped with her request.

"That's the right of an older sister," Alex points out. "We tease younger siblings and scare potential love interests to make sure they're worthy. It's practically our job."

"If that was your job you'd definitely be up for a promotion," Kara grumbles teasingly, turning to look at the fire that's still burning behind the grate, letting her eyes follow the ever changing patterns. The reds both soothe and sting her, and somehow she knows that the color means something to her, to her past. She'll have to keep that in mind the next time she tries to bring back another memory.

"I strive for excellence, you know this," Alex teases back, hands restarting their gentle movements through her hair. "Mom's still going to call you Celeste, you know," she says after a minute, and Kara nods.

"I know. I know most people are. But knowing there's one person who won't, who understands, that makes it better." Kara knows it has to be confusing for Alex, it's a little confusing for her as well, but the reasoning doesn't really matter. She knows her sister will go with it even if she doesn't completely understand why. She understands it's important, and that's enough.

X

"I'm afraid I didn't find out much," Cat admits when she answers the door the next day. Kara wants to feel disappointed, but she'd known Cat wasn't having much luck, and she hadn't really expected otherwise. They have only the thinnest of leads at this point, unless Kara can somehow remember more of her past.

"We have a bit more, but not much," Alex says as Kara nods, knowing her sister will be able to get through recounting the details much easier than she would. It's all still too overwhelming for her at this point; all she'd accomplish trying to force the words out would be to make things harder on herself.

Alex is able to sum up what Kara has remembered in a few succinct sentences, and then Cat carefully begins to quiz Kara on specifics. It's somehow easier to answer actual questions than it would have been to go through everything on her own, though she does end up fighting back tears a few times as the memories press a little too hard against the balance she'd found.

"This all sounds familiar," Cat muses as she finishes organizing the few notes she'd gotten from Kara's memories. "I can't place where from, but it feels like part of a story I've heard before. I just don't have enough details to make the connection."

"I'm sorry," Kara whispers, feeling like she's letting not only herself but the woman helping her down by not remembering more. She doesn't have a name for herself or her planet, only the knowledge of her loss.

"Don't apologize for that," Cat says sharply, beating Alex to the punch. Kara can see her sister nod in agreement, but she stays uncharacteristically silent as Cat takes the lead. "The very first clear memory of your past is one most people would never be able to bear, no one expects you to take on more than that before you're ready."

"And before you even think about arguing with her, I'm warning you to stop and think about what you'd expect from me in the same situation," Alex jumps in as Kara opens her mouth to do just that. "Seriously, I know you want answers, but you can't blame yourself for not remembering."

"But the memories are there!" Kara exclaims, unable to help her outburst. "They're in my head; I should be able to get to them! It's my past; I should be able to remember it."

"And what happens when you do?" Cat asks with an unimpressed look, eyebrow raised in challenge. "If you suddenly remembered everything you've pushed away, what then? I know you want to remember, to know where you came from, but rushing things cannot be good for you."

The challenge in her voice is just a cover for a genuine worry, Kara knows her well enough after even just a week to know that. And it's a valid point, one that Kara hadn't considered in her need for answers. What would she do if it all came back at once?

"You will remember, you have to believe that," Cat continues when she sees Kara accept that point. "One step at a time, we will solve this."

"Asking her to be patient is like asking the sun to stand still," Alex says wryly as Kara blushes and glares at her. It's true, she's never been a patient person, but she doesn't like her sister and newest friend ganging up on her like this. Especially not when they share twin grins at the way Kara whines inarticulately as Alex continues. "She's like a toddler on a sugar rush, and has usually eaten enough candy to practically be one."

"If I promise to try and be patient will you both quit teasing me?" she practically begs, shooting them both pouting look that Alex at least has never been able to resist. It seems to work just as well on Cat, or at least the woman is willing to drop it for now.

"I suppose we should focus on the task at hand," Cat concedes without a fight, flushing a little as Kara shoots her a bright, thankful smile. "As I said earlier, the story sounds familiar, and I'm sure with a little searching and perhaps another few details should you happen to remember anything more I'll be able to remember why."

"I could try to remember something while I'm here," Kara offers hesitantly, not because she necessarily wants to avoid the pain she knows will come, but because she isn't sure she wants Cat to see her break down yet again. Still, another fact or two would be immeasurably helpful, and if the woman hasn't been put off by her emotional reactions so far, Kara doesn't think once more will do anything. "I know I promised to be patient, and I won't push for everything, but if I can remember something small it will help, right?"

"Only if you're sure," Alex says before Cat can even open her mouth, though Kara can tell she agrees. "We don't need to solve everything today, if it will be too much then you should wait."

"It won't be too much," Kara says with more confidence than she feels, though she does believe she can handle it. Between Cat and her sister, she has the best support system she could ask for, each grounding her in their own way.

"What do you need from us then?" Cat asks, looking ready to spring into action as soon as Kara says the word.

"Well, last time the memory was sparked by Alex popping popcorn," Kara admits, wincing a little as she remembers the sound of her planet's debris hitting the sides of her ship. "But this time I think I can remember on my own? Kind of take the memory I do have and trace back from there?" It makes sense to her at least, using the one clear moment in her mind to branch out to others, but she isn't sure it will work. Not without trying. But if it does, hopefully it's easier on her emotions than last time.

"You can use the guest room, you know where it is," Cat says instantly, and Kara shoots her a grateful look. "We'll give you some time and some quiet, but we'll be right here if you need us."

"Thank you," is all Kara says as she heads down the hallway, but she can see from two sets of eyes that both women understand just how much emotion is in those two words.

X

After Kara has settled into the room and presumably into whatever she's doing to bring back another memory, Cat starts to study Alex, noting the other woman doing the same. They have an easy truce, both worried about Kara and wanting her to be happy, but they don't know much about each other beyond that. And Cat thinks that maybe that should change.  
"Why do you trust me?" she asks bluntly, instinct telling her that Alex will respond better to direct questions than she will to any attempts at circling the issue. "You're clearly very protective of your sister, and I'll admit I wouldn't have expected you to trust me the way you have."

Alex measures her words carefully before speaking, Cat can tell that from the tension in the woman's shoulders, but knows that she will get an answer. "Because she trusts you," Alex says eventually, gaze direct and clear as she stares at Cat. "I've seen her around a lot of people, and not once has she felt comfortable with someone as quickly as she has with you. I don't know why, I don't think she even knows why, but she is. And I have to respect that."

It's not the answer Cat had been expecting, but she nods anyway, because it makes sense. She's felt the same level of comfort, the same inexplicable connection between them. She doesn't know where it comes from, because she usually keeps everyone at not only arm but football field length from her, but there's no denying it. She trusts Kara as much as Kara trusts her, and at this point that's all there is to it.

"I meant it, you know. I won't publish anything about this that she doesn't specifically ask me to." Cat isn't sure why she feels the need to reassure Alex on that point, but she knows it's important. This isn't a story to her, not unless Kara wants it to be. This is about helping someone who deserves to be helped.

"And that's the other reason I'm willing to share," Alex says with a slightly forced smile. "It's hard to believe you, but I know you won't. Somehow when you promise that, I do believe you. I guess I trust you on my own, not just because she does. But I swear, if you break your promise, if you hurt her in any way, I will make you regret it."

"Fair enough," Cat says, ignoring the barely hidden message beneath part of Alex's words, knowing it's a valid warning, even if she'll never need to prove she means it. And with that out of the way, the two settle into a comfortable silence, each engrossed with research on their phones, searching for anything they can find with what little they have to go on.

When Kara enters the room she does so in complete silence, completely unnoticed by either woman until Cat looks up and has to choke back a scream at how suddenly she'd seemed to appear. She's grateful in the next moment that she'd managed to stifle her reaction, because it's clear from the look on Kara's face that the last thing she needs is a shock of her own.

"Krypton," is all she says, the look in her eyes staring past them as if she doesn't fully register their presence, and Cat stands before she realizes she's moving, crossing the room at the same time Alex does to move to Kara's side. "My planet's name was Krypton."

That rings even more bells in Cat's mind, but at the moment she's too concerned with making sure Kara is okay to pay them any attention. "Are you okay?" she asks quietly, reaching out slowly to rest her hand on Kara's forearm, hoping the touch is soothing rather than startling. "What did you remember?"

The look of pain on Kara's face deepens for a moment as she visibly gathers herself, standing straighter with an unconscious tilt of her head, posture somehow formal despite her casual attire. "I remember who I am. Who I lost. There is still so much I cannot remember, but I remember that I am Kara Zor-El, last daughter of the House of El, from the planet Krypton." Her speech is as formal as her posture, and Cat fights to keep from shrinking back, wondering at how different the woman in front of her is from the girl she'd known as Celeste. This version is tempered by pain, by loss, with the weight of more than Cat can imagine on her shoulders.

And then, as suddenly as the stiffness had appeared, it's gone, leaving Kara standing with a sad smile on her face. But it's the smile Cat knows, the woman she's come to care for so quickly. "It's nice to meet you, Kara," she says when the silence stretches a beat too long, not sure what else to say.

From the way Kara smiles, Cat thinks it might have been the right thing to say after all. "I remember my family, Cat. I remember their faces, the way they loved me. I don't know what happened to them, or how I got to Earth, but I remember who I came from."

X

The bullets the humans had shot at her are like nothing Astra has encountered before, and she quickly learns to keep them shielded in their casings lest they weaken her. Something about them is poisonous to her, going beyond leeching her powers and seeming to sap her very life from her veins if she exposes herself to their field for too long.

Whatever the material is, it's clearly dangerous, and Astra retreats to her well-hidden pod and the advanced computing power it gives her, scanning each bullet carefully before letting the computer analyze the samples. She's no scientist, not the way her brother in law had been, but with the help of her pod's information banks and the knowledge that every Kryptonian learns before adulthood, she's confident that she'll be able to find some kind of answer. The solution might be harder, but she knows she'll find it. She refuses to let these humans best her.

It seems a cruel injustice of the universe when the pod reveals the bullets are a part of her planet, one that nearly drives Astra to violence against the trees surrounding her clearing. How dare they use her home against her? How dare the universe rob her of any connection to the planet she loves in a way she can never love Earth?

In the end it's the knowledge that to let her emotions have free reign will likely result in her detection that calms Astra, because now more than ever subtlety and care with her actions is of utmost importance. She cannot take risks, not when there are this many unknowns. No, now is the time to pull back even further from the world, to devote herself to examining every atom of this sudden and uncomfortable weakness, until it can no longer harm her, or Kara.

Patience may not come naturally to a concerned aunt who wants nothing more than to hold the last member of her family in her arms again, but to a General, even a retired General, it's a lesson learned in ways that cannot be forgotten. As long as it takes to solve this, Astra will wait.


	7. Chapter 7

Kara is quiet for the rest of the day, with Alex and Cat seeming content to give her space to process what she's remembered. It isn't even that big of a memory, just a family dinner from when she was about 8, but she can't help going over each and every moment and interaction in her mind. She's not even sure what she's looking for, what a single memory can tell her, but it runs through her mind regardless.

She remembers her mother's smile, her father's pride, her aunt's fierce affection. She remembers being loved, and cared for, and protected. She still doesn't know what happened to her planet, or how she came to be in that pod, but she knows that the three adults in her life would have done anything to keep her safe. Including sending her away to keep her alive.

In her darker moments she wonders if they had escaped with her, or whether they'd sent her across the galaxy alone.

She doesn't feel alone though, and not only because she has the seemingly unconditional support of the two women sitting across from her. She's grateful for them both, but something deep in her gut tells her that she wasn't sent here alone, that there is someone out there waiting for her. She has no proof, no memory of who it might be, but she wants to believe it is true. That one of the adults she remembers loving her so much had come with her to continue keeping her safe. Even if she's been here eleven years without them finding her, she knows there will be a reason for that.

"I've found something," Cat says after a few hours, looking up from the laptop she's been typing on since Kara had retreated into the memory. "I knew your story sounded familiar, but all the articles are so old they aren't properly archived. Thirty years ago there was a woman who told the world she was from Krypton, that she was one of a handful of survivors, one of two to reach Earth. She wouldn't give her name, but she said she was looking for her niece."

"Astra," Kara gasps out, relief flooding through her as she remembers her aunt, how close they'd been, how many happy times they'd had. She'd wanted to believe she hadn't landed alone, and now she has proof. Now her belief isn't just blind faith that she's stubbornly clinging to.

"Wait, did you say thirty years?" Alex says, picking up on what Kara had missed. "Kara landed eleven years ago, the timeline doesn't add up. She was only thirteen when she got here, there's no way someone thirty years ago could have been looking for her. Hell, no one thirty years ago could have known about what happened to Krypton, because it hadn't happened yet."

Cat responds, Kara can see her lips moving, but Alex's words have triggered another memory, and this one presses onto the very areas of her mind she's been so desperate to avoid, bringing her face to face with the worst of what she's been avoiding. She clings to the memory of her family, of the years on Earth surrounded by the love of her adoptive family, and even to the short time she's known Cat, but she can still feel the emptiness of the Phantom Zone around her. It's a losing battle no matter how hard she tries to hold on, and Kara can feel herself slipping, mind recoiling from the pain the way she had so many years ago.

It's Cat's hand on her shoulder that grounds her, pulling Kara back into the moment and allowing her to push the memory away without being drawn into it. "Kara, are you okay?" Cat asks in concern, leaning closer to make direct eye contact. "What is it, what's wrong?"

"Empty," is all Kara can say at first, still fighting back the darkness from the edges of her mind. "I was stuck, I was lost for those years, and I got here too late for her to find me. She landed alone, and then I did too. That's why she was looking for me, why she couldn't find me. I wasn't here." Kara would have continued to ramble, trying to fill the void in her mind currently occupied by the memory of the Phantom Zone, but Cat cuts her off with one hand on her shoulder and the other gently cupping her cheek, and Kara forgets to breathe for a long moment.

She knows it's still just latching on to someone who cares after an emotional revelation, but right now that doesn't matter. It's a warmth that fights the coldness of the memory, a connection that pushes the loneliness away. And so despite knowing it's nothing more than an automatic reaction, for a moment Kara lets herself feel it, and lets herself believe it's something real.

She does ignore how right it feels.

"Breathe, Kara. Deep breaths for me, okay? Do you want to tell us what you remembered?" Cat's voice is comfortingly level, further grounding Kara and giving her the stability she needs to speak.

"Astra landed on time, that's why she was here so long ago," Kara says, voice shaking slightly, but not enough to keep her from continuing. "But I was knocked off course, into an area of space where nothing moves. Time doesn't pass; you can drift forever and not move an inch, because there's nowhere to go. It's vast and empty, and yet nothing exists beyond whatever vessel holds you. Within those walls the normal rules of the universe have power, but beyond that is nothing." Her voice is almost monotone by the time she finishes, but she manages to get the words out so that Cat and Alex will understand.

"Do you remember how you got out?" Alex asks after the humans in the room have processed that information. Kara can see her next to Cat, even if most of her focus is on the smaller woman. Her sister looks worried, a familiar tightness to her features as she looks at her, but Kara can also see a hint of curiosity, and knows her reaction to Cat has not gone unnoticed.

"My pod was locked to Astra's," Kara explains, a vague memory of her father explaining that to her tugging at the edges of her memory, but she can't afford to detach from the present to chase it just now. "I didn't have control; I was too young to have learned to pilot a space craft. There was a failsafe built in that must have been triggered when Earth's relative distance passed the guidelines set. I was too far away, so the emergency systems kicked in and pulled me out and brought me here."

There's more to explain, Kara can see the questions on Cat's face and knows Alex will have her own, but she's too tired to deal with them just now. There's too much heaviness in her head right now, she needs a distraction, something light and cheerful to pull her out of her mind and into the world around her.

"Astra used to call me 'Little One'," she tells them, knowing that Alex at least won't hesitate to tease her for that one, needing the familiarity of the lighthearted comments.

"Something in the water here must be a lot different than on Krypton," Alex says immediately, picking up on Kara's mood with ease. "Because you're about as little as Cat is tall."

"You are not that much taller than I am, Alexandra Danvers," Cat says with a mock glare, and Kara smiles at the way her sister has included their new friend, at the way Cat hadn't hesitated to join in. "And she is not that much taller than either of us."

"I don't know, you are a little tiny," Kara teases, Cat's reaction giving her the confidence she needs to get the words out. "Maybe you should be the new Little One."

"I think I've decided my tolerance for that nickname rates somewhere around the level of cat puns," Cat says as she shifts her glare to Kara, who can't help smiling despite that. "So for your sake, Kara, I suggest you avoid using it."

She's used Kara's birth name a lot since she'd learned it, as if sensing Kara needed the comfort of hearing it. It's nice, warms Kara in a way she doesn't think too hard about, and is always instantly comforting no matter what's running through her mind. It's a link between her past and the familiarity of the present, and Kara loves it.

"I think the claws are out on that warning," Alex says, winking at Kara as Cat scoffs. "So maybe we should get back to the rest of what you found." There's a searching glance sent Kara's way to make sure she's okay to hear more, and Kara nods quickly. Now that she remembers even the little she does, she wants to know more.

"There wasn't much, not beyond a few articles speculating about the abilities she displayed. She never gave details, but over the years people saw quite a few." Cat pauses to check once more with Kara, obviously remembering the reaction she'd had the first time they'd met at the evidence of such powers, but right now Kara's need to know is stronger than the fear she feels. "She could fly, that one was actually obvious fairly quickly. A few incidents make it seem like she had a greater than average strength, though no one ever did get a chance to actually measure that. And she has some kind of laser vision that was only seen once; when some general tried to pass his daughter off as her niece. No one was hurt, but it made quite the impression."  
"I can't do all of that," Kara protests when Cat finishes listing the abilities from the articles she's read, thinking back over the years and finding no hint of any of those. Speed, she remembers from meeting Cat, but that isn't mentioned in the article. Is it possible that her aunt has abilities Kara does not, that she has abilities Astra doesn't? Or is it possible that the woman isn't even her aunt at all?

"Actually, you've been pretty strong a few times in the past," Alex says reluctantly, and Kara's head snaps around to look at her. "Not anything way out there or anything, but definitely a lot stronger than you usually are."

"Well, that's not exactly hard," Kara huffs, because her lack of strength has been a sore point for years, each nearly failed gym class earning a fresh scowl. "I can barely do a sit up without panting, anything stronger than that would be an improvement."

Alex looks troubled, and the look doesn't fade when Kara finishes speaking, making her wonder if her sister is hiding some horrible fact that no one has bothered to tell Kara before this. "That's not exactly the case," Alex says as she shifts uncomfortably, making Kara tense. "It's not bad, I swear!" she says as soon as she notices Kara's reaction, but that doesn't help as much as Kara would have hoped. "Just, when you first landed sometimes when you got startled, things around you ended up broken."

Kara's mind flashes back to those earliest days, and while she doesn't remember being responsible for the damage, she does remember the broken items Alex had mentioned. Including- "Wait, I broke your _arm_?" she says in disbelief, shock and horror written across her face as Cat looks between them in surprise. "Oh my god, Alex, I am so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," Alex says instantly, doing nothing to assuage Kara's mounting guilt. "I'm the one who decided you should watch shark week with me. And it was a hairline fracture, it barely hurt."

Kara is ready to fight her on that, to continue apologizing until she finally runs out of guilt for the incident (which she assumes will take quite a while), but Cat steps in before she can. "Kara, you didn't do anything on purpose, an accident cannot be blamed on you. Particularly when you were unaware of your strength."

"Yeah, you would always sort of zone out for a minute any time something broke," Alex jumps in, avoiding continued mentions of her arm. "And before long, even when you were scared nothing happened."

"Too bad that didn't happen sooner," Kara says bitterly, not ready to let go of blaming herself just yet. Even though their relationship hadn't been nearly as close back then as it is now, she'd never wanted to hurt Alex, and knowing she has makes her feel almost sick.

"Enough of that," Cat snaps, her tone brooking no argument even though her eyes are soft and understanding. "It's the past, and while that is what we're focusing on today, that particular moment in time does not qualify."

"Actually, I think we should shift focus a little anyway," Alex says when Kara doesn't argue. "We have a starting point now, and while Kara can try to shake a few memories loose, I can tell she wants to find her aunt. And I think that maybe finding her would help more than chasing blindly after memories would."

"That brings us to a problem," Cat says, eyes tightening as if she's holding back a wince by sheer force of will. "After so many people tried to fool her, Astra withdrew from the public eye completely. No one has seen more than a glimpse of her in years. And most of those sightings are scattered across the world, as if she's flying around looking for something."

"She's looking for me," Kara says, sure of it as soon as the words pass her lips. Astra has been looking for her, had been expecting her to show up twenty years before she actually had. She hadn't been sent here alone, someone had been waiting for her. "She just didn't know where to look, because I didn't know to look for her."

"Well now you do," Alex says, hearing the beginnings of guilt in Kara's voice and moving to head them off. "We'll just have to find her. Once she knows you're looking, she'll find you."

"There were a few contacts across the world that Astra talked to on a fairly regular basis," Cat jumps in, building on the plan as Alex starts it. "We can find one of them; they'll be able to get us in contact with her."

"What if she doesn't believe it's me?" Kara says, unable to let go of her uncertainty. "I don't have half of her powers, I don't remember more than five hours of knowing her, all I have are a few half understood images. If people have tried to trick her so much over the years, maybe she'll think this is just one more attempt."

"You forget, she never told anyone your name," Cat says, voice reassuring as she points out the flaws in Kara's logic. "She never told anyone hers either. She was just this mysterious figure swooping around the world, looking for you."

Her words make sense, and that manages to calm Kara's lingering doubts, at least for the moment. "Then where do we start?"

X

"Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?" Cat asks softly as Alex leaves, visibly hesitating before closing the door. "Alex is obviously worried, and your mother will be as well."

"Foster mother," Kara corrects automatically, because as much as she loves Eliza, as thankful as she is for all the woman's done for her over the years 'mother' has never felt right on her tongue. And now that she remembers Alura, something in her clings to that term, setting her birth mother in a category all her own. "And I'm sure. I can't take explaining myself tonight, and I can't take her calling me Celeste. Not yet, anyway."

"But why insist Alex go home without you?" Cat presses, because that had been the compromise Alex had suggested.

"Because she remembers more of Celeste than she does of Kara," she admits quietly, ashamed of her reaction. "I know it's not her fault, that I've been Celeste for so long it'll take time for her, but I couldn't deal with it tonight."

"Technically I've known you as Celeste longer than I've known you as Kara," Cat says carefully, hands still in front of her as if she's holding them that way. Kara wonders if she's nervous, and if so what could have caused that.

"True, but not nearly as long," Kara explains, trying to work through why it's different in her mind so she can explain it to Cat. "You made the switch easily, instantly. It's already comfortable for you, as comfortable as it is for me. Alex was actively working on it."

"She is trying," Cat says, and Kara nods in agreement instantly.

"I know she is, and I love her for it. She's always been there for me, stopped calling me Celeste as soon as I asked, even before I remembered. She's been great about the whole thing. But that's the point, she's trying to be."

"Well, whatever the reason, you're more than welcome to stay," Cat says, and Kara can tell she doesn't quite understand. But that's okay, because Kara knows she hasn't explained it particularly well in the first place. "Have you thought about when you want to leave?"

"As soon as you track down the closest person who's actually met Astra," Kara says instantly, and Cat nods as if she'd expected as much.

"I'll look first thing tomorrow," Cat promises, rising to rinse her glass of wine. "Will you be okay tonight?" There's a casualness to her question that seems somehow forced, as if she's trying to seem like it means nothing, and Kara's interest is instantly peaked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asks herself, hoping Cat's answer will give her a clue as to what the woman is thinking.

"Well, the last time you stayed the night, you didn't exactly sleep peacefully at first," Cat says with a wave of her hand, trying for her usual composure. "I just want to be sure you aren't concerned about a potential repeat tonight."

"I um, I hadn't thought about it," Kara admits, because that hadn't factored into her plans for the night. She'd had nightmares the first few nights after remembering about Krypton, and she doesn't know if she's in for the same tonight. On one hand, the memory is a lot more pleasant than the last, but on the other it means she knows exactly what she's lost.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Cat asks, composure cracking as her nerves shine through, and Kara suddenly realizes what the issue is. Cat remembers how her presence had soothed Kara after the first nightmare, but outright asking if Kara wants her to sleep next to her is a little too much for her comfort.

"I think I'll be fine?" Kara says, more uncertain than she'd like, and she can tell when Cat realizes it's just as awkward for her.

"My room has a light on the nightstand, I use it regularly when I think I'll need to wake up in the middle of the night. If you think the light would help, you're more than welcome to use my room tonight." Despite the underlying awkwardness, Cat's voice sounds remarkably level, giving the situation a normalcy that allows both women to ignore the connotation.

"That might help," Kara says gratefully, knowing it won't be the light but Cat's presence that keeps her calm through the night, but accepting the excuse for what it is. And they're friends after all, even if they've only just met. Friends can share a bed and have it mean nothing. They already have once before, in fact.

Kara tries not to remember how she'd failed to slip from the bed and Cat's embrace, or the way her traitorous mind had projected more onto the situation than actually exists between them several times over the past week. Once she's over the emotional turmoil that comes from remembering, she'll be past that, and that means she need to keep things from being too awkward now.

It's just one night, after all.


	8. Chapter 8

Waking up in Cat's arms feels just as right the second time, but Kara doesn't dare dwell on that too much or for too long. When she does, the insistent little voice in the back of her head starts wondering if maybe it's more than just a need for comfort, and she can't deal with that right now. She's got enough on her plate trying to find her aunt and what happened to the rest of her family, she can't take the added stress of figuring out sexuality and attraction to that. Especially when there's no way someone like Cat would be interested in her and the mess that she is. No, it's better to just ignore it. Ignore it until it fades. She needs to focus on the hunt, on moving forward.

This time she manages to get out of the bed without waking Cat, quietly walking to the kitchen and wondering if it's overstepping to make the other woman breakfast. She wants to say thank you, and every time she's tried to put those thanks into words it falls flat, but surely actually doing something will show it for her. She just isn't sure she has the right, not in Cat's space when she's already taken so much of it.

Coffee she can do, knows Cat will be thankful for it rather than resent the intrusion. Many of their early morning conversations while she'd been back in Midvale had revolved around coffee and Cat's dependency on it, and Kara knows the gesture will be more than welcome. And maybe once the other woman is awake and in the room, Kara can offer to make breakfast. With permission, Kara will feel far less awkward about the whole thing.

It isn't long after the first drops of coffee make it to the pot that Cat appears in the hallway, rubbing her eyes and stretching in a way that makes Kara smile as her stomach does some weird twist on her. Maybe she should have gone ahead and started breakfast, clearly she needs to eat something before hunger gets the best of her.

"Coffee is definitely the way to get invited back," Cat says as she grabs a mug from the cabinet, pulling the carafe from the machine despite how little has already brewed, draining the few mouthfuls from the mug in seconds before waiting for the rest to finish. "And I see you dithering over there, bacon is in the freezer and eggs are in the door. There's flour and other ingredients in the cabinet on the left if you want pancakes or something. You're more than just a guest in this house, if you'd like food then feel free to help yourself."

Kara blinks at Cat a few times when the other woman finishes speaking, noticing the slight smirk that keeps tugging at her lips. "I was actually debating whether making you breakfast as thanks would be overstepping," Kara admits, wondering what Cat's reaction to her honesty will be.

She didn't expect the look of surprise that crosses her face at the words, or the smile that brings a blush to her face. It's just an offer of breakfast, but when Cat is looking at her like that, it seems like so much more. "I assume you're confident enough in your abilities to make that a kind offer rather than a poisoning attempt?" Cat says with an attempt to recover her cool composure, and Kara nods quickly in response. "Then I'd love some breakfast. Whatever you're making."

"Pancakes coming right up," Kara says, willing her blushes to fade before Cat notices them, knowing it's likely a losing battle. "Alex says they're one of my best dishes, but I think that's just because she loves when I add chocolate chips."

"Those are in the top right drawer next to the bottle of scotch," Cat says without missing a beat, eyes lingering on Kara's face before turning back to the coffee machine and the newly finished carafe of coffee waiting for her.

"Why do you have scotch and chocolate chips in the same drawer?" Kara asks as she pulls the bag out, collecting the ingredients she'll need as she waits for Cat's answer. "The two don't seem like they'd go together."

"Comfort food," Cat answers with a wave of her hand as she drains her second cup, "or drink, as the case may be. All in one place for ready access as needed."

Kara debates the wisdom of replying before staying silent as she begins to mix the ingredients, deciding that focusing on the food is a better plan than risking a response being taken the wrong way. She doesn't understand, but then she's never really seen the allure of alcohol. Certainly not to the point of understanding how it could be a comfort.

It doesn't take long before she's sliding perfectly cooked pancakes onto plates, silence sitting comfortably between the two of them as she does. After the emotions of the resurfacing memories and the half admitted feelings towards Cat that keep trying to do the same, Kara enjoys the silence. It's peaceful and allows her mind to drift without actually focusing on anything. She can just eat, enjoy Cat's company without thinking too much about what it means, and take a moment for herself.

Cat speaks up while Kara's cleaning, pulling her back to the reality of the situation kindly but firmly, exactly what's needed at that moment. "Kara, do you have a plan for what you're doing now?" she asks, powering up her laptop to begin her part of the search.

"I hadn't really thought about it," Kara admits, because other than 'find Astra' she doesn't have many thoughts about what she specifically will bring to the search. A few memories perhaps, but given that the search has to focus on Earth rather than Krypton, she doesn't think that'll be too much help.

"Well, we know that the memories will be hard on you, so I don't think you should press too hard to regain those all at once," Cat points out, echoing her earlier arguments. And Kara has accepted that by now, after a night of half formed nightmares chased from her mind every time Cat shifted next to her. "But that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do."

"I take it you have an idea?" Kara says, studying Cat where she sits. She can't think of anything, but she's learned that Cat usually has a plan, sees things Kara hasn't even considered.

"These powers Astra has. The ones _you_ might have. Maybe figuring them out will help your confidence as more memories come." Cat seems certain, and that's enough to make Kara seriously consider it rather than dismiss the idea out of hand.

Her first instinct is to refuse, especially now that she knows the truth about Alex's arm. She doesn't want to ever risk that again, not with Alex or anyone else. The thought that she could hurt her sister again, hurt Cat, has every protective instinct in her body flaring up. But Cat is right, she can feel that much. Something in her memories has been holding her back from whatever powers she possesses, and if she wants to face those memories she needs to face those powers. Now that she knows they exist, now that she can think about them without shutting down, maybe now it's time to work on understanding them.

"I don't think I can do that safely here," Kara says, a compromise coming to mind as she thinks. Because in the city, in Cat's apartment, she knows she'll be too afraid of the risk to really allow herself to let go. "But if you can find our first stop, and it isn't miraculously in National City, then I can figure them out on the way."

"Are you suggesting a road trip?" Cat asks in disbelief, making Kara smile in response. "Kara, I don't _do_ road trips. They're boring and dusty, with nothing around and nothing to grab your attention beyond the same repetitive scenery mile after mile. Flying is not only faster, but much more comfortable."

"But I can't exactly practice shooting lasers out of my eyes on a commercial airplane," Kara argues, knowing she's won when Cat goes quiet. "Besides, I'm sure I'm interesting enough to keep your attention off of the boring scenery." She hadn't meant for the words to come out sounding flirtatious, but when Cat's eyes narrow with an expression that looks almost like interest, Kara can't really regret it. She will later, when her worries and walls catch up to her, but in this moment the words are out and Cat's reaction is enough to keep those doubts at bay.

"Both are valid points, I suppose," Cat concedes without pushing the flirtation any further, and Kara finds she's both glad and disappointed in that fact. Something about sharing breakfast this morning has shifted things between them, has made Kara's earlier hesitations seem overly cautious and unneeded. Still, there's more than enough to deal with than deciding what this thing between them means.

"Besides, Alex hates flying," Kara says when the moment passes, trying not to laugh when she sees Cat freeze at her words. "Now that I know I crash landed here, I can't say I blame her, but she's always been terrified of heights."

"I didn't realize Alex would be joining us," Cat says with an attempt at sounding casual, one that sets Kara wondering. "I assumed she would be busy with her schooling, particularly as we don't know how long this will take."

"She applied for a temporary leave of absence from her doctoral program as soon as my first memory returned," Kara explains, wincing at the memory of Alex telling Eliza she had. Her foster mother hadn't understood, and neither of her daughters had cared to explain, so Alex had borne the brunt of her disapproval all week. "She has at least the full semester off, and she's already said she'll apply for a longer leave if she needs to."

Cat takes a moment to let that sink in as her eyes soften, realizing everything that Alex's decision entails and how much that must mean to Kara. "You're lucky to have someone who cares about you so much," she says, and Kara nods in agreement.

"Looking back, she gave up a lot to help me," Kara admits, feeling momentarily guilty for all that she's cost her sister. She'll make it up to her somehow, even if she doesn't have a clue how to do that. "She still is, even if I do think she needs the break."

"She pushes herself too hard, I assume?" Cat says dryly, not at all surprised when Kara nods. "She and I have that in common then. I think the break will be good for us both."

"Are you sure you're still okay with this?" Kara has to ask, because she can understand her sister being ridiculously self-sacrificing for her, but Cat is still a relative stranger who's already given up so much.

"Kara, I want you to know that I do not do anything I'm not sure of, or that I don't want to do," Cat answers, voice gentle but firm. "You're my friend, you deserve the help, and damn it if you haven't managed to turn me into a soft hearted mess who wants to give you that help."

"You can tell my story," Kara says, words rushing out of her before she can think better of it, needing to offer something in return, something more than breakfast or half stammered thanks. "I mean, I don't know that I want everyone knowing who I am, but other than that, if you need a story you can use mine."

She hadn't expected to see a conflicted look cross Cat's face at the offer, but despite that hesitation and the nagging doubts that sound like Eliza running through her mind, Kara means it. "We'll deal with that when the time comes," Cat says rather than agree or argue. "I won't take advantage of you, I'm happy to help without you needing to do that."

"Thank you, Cat," Kara says, the unconditional support from someone she barely knows somehow overwhelming. Only the fact that Cat is sitting keeps her from pulling the other woman in for a hug.

X

After a week of struggling to understand the mineral, Astra gets her first breakthrough. It's nothing major, just an understanding of the radioactive properties the material possesses, but it's a start. Now that she knows how it affects her, it's only a matter of time before she can design a way to block it. And until then, she'll stay right where she is, safely away from wherever Kara is.

And once she and her niece are reunited, she'll deal with whoever is trying to kill her. Nothing will harm Kara ever again, no matter what Astra has to do to keep her safe.


	9. Chapter 9

"We're seriously taking a road trip across the country?" Alex asks in disbelief, staring at the SUV Cat had rented for the occasion. "Kara, this guy lives in New York, we're in Southern California. Driving is going to take _days_."

"Actually, probably closer to a week," Kara admits, carrying her bag with an ease that wouldn't have been there a few weeks ago. She's not sure how, but the complete lack of strength she's dealt with for years is slowly fading. It makes her nervous, knowing now that she's actually hurt someone before, but at the same time it's nice to carry a single bag without feeling tired. "We mapped out some empty fields along the way so I can try to access some of the powers I'm supposed to have."

"God, could you shout that any louder?" Alex hisses, glancing around in concern. "You know how people are about things like that. Best case they think you're insane, worst case they try to hurt you."

"Alex, it's the city. No one would notice or care if I shouted it from the rooftops," Kara argues, knowing her sister isn't convinced when she sees the glare directed her way. "But fine, I will try to be more careful."

"Discretion is usually a useful plan," Cat says from behind them, causing both sisters to jump at her unexpected appearance. "As is timeliness. I realize we don't have much of a schedule to keep, but tardiness makes my skin itch regardless. Are you two done loading?"

"Yeah, this is it," Alex says as she kicks her single small duffel bag before bending to grab and toss it into the trunk. "I'm glad I packed extra if this is going to take a week."

"That's extra?" Cat asks disbelievingly, looking back at her own bags. She doesn't have much, but compared to Alex's minimalist packing job it seems like she does. "Well, it'll help the gas mileage anyway."

"You know you didn't need to rent this," Kara says shyly, still a bit overwhelmed that Cat had gone out of her way to spend money on this trip. "Alex has a car, and she keeps it in good shape. It might not have been as roomy, but it would have worked."

"This will be better," Cat says firmly, and Kara has to nod in agreement of that point even if she is convinced the SUV is mostly unnecessary. "And this way you have plenty of room to stretch out and rest if the practicing tires you out. We aren't sure how much effort it will be, so we should prepare for comfort."

"Just be sure you don't let her drive," Alex calls from where she's checking the front tires, always overly cautious after the accident that had killed Jeremiah. "I'm sure you got the extra insurance on this, but there's a reason Kara takes the bus to the city every time she visits."

"Do you thrive on embarrassing me?" Kara whines as Cat laughs, a very brief flash of regret that she'd invited Alex along rushing through her before she realizes that's just the mortification talking. She wouldn't want her sister anywhere else, would never want to shut her out of something this important.

"Oh hush and get in the car," Cat interrupts before Alex can say anything, holding open the door to the backseat and giving a pointed tilt of her head. "The nearest field that should be outside of anyone's constant observation is about two hours from here, so why don't we all load up and figure out exactly how many small habits there are to hate about each other."

"Alex snores," Kara says before her sister can respond, crawling in the back as indicated. She's surprised when Cat climbs in across from her, rather than taking the passenger seat, but she isn't complaining. The time spent planning the trip had pushed them together, and at this point Kara has spent more time at Cat's than she has at home, at least over the past week.

Eliza had noticed, of course, but when Alex started teasing about Kara having met someone, she'd stopped commenting as often, and the tone of her protests had shifted. Now she wants to meet whoever it is, no matter how many times Kara insists it's just a friend. And between that and the fact her foster mother still calls her 'Celeste' the distance had been welcome. Not that she blames Eliza for any of her worry, she understands the protective feeling that it stems from, but it had all been a little much.

"Since I'll be driving, I don't think that's what Cat meant," Alex says drily as she starts the car, carefully pulling out into traffic and starting up the GPS. "And since I took care of paying for the hotels, if it bothers her tonight she can go rent another room."

"Or I can drink a few glasses of scotch and sleep uninterrupted until daylight," Cat tosses back, smiling when Alex laughs in agreement. "And if you're nice enough to me, I might even share."

"Oh, we're definitely keeping her," Alex says as she tosses a smirk over her shoulder at Kara, laughing again when Kara blushes hotly.

Maybe a road trip wasn't the best idea, after all.

X

Thirty minutes after they arrive at the abandoned field, Kara changes her mind about the trip again. She's not sure how, but after long minutes of staring at a rock and willing something to happen, she'd felt a strange tingling behind her eyes before beams of light had shot out, superheating the stone and causing it to explode.

"Well, that's a skill," Alex says in disbelief, stepping to Kara's side without hesitation as if she'd known her sister needed reassurance that the ability didn't change anything between them. That Alex wasn't afraid of her.

"Do you know what finally sparked it?" Cat asks, barely a step behind Alex, and Kara feels a swooping sensation in her stomach at the thought the woman cared about her as much as Alex does. "It's impressive, but if we're going for control we need to know everything we can."

"I squinted differently," Kara says with a shrug, not sure if that's what caused it, but not having any other answer. "I'll try again, until I can control it completely."

"Take as long as you need, no one should show up no matter how long we're here, and we left early to give you plenty of time today, the hotel is barely an hour from here," Alex says with a quick squeeze of Kara's arm before stepping back to what they'd agreed was a likely safe distance. Cat hesitates a moment longer, reaching out to rest her hand carefully on Kara's shoulder and give her a comforting smile before doing the same.

This time it only takes fifteen minutes to spark the beams, and this time Kara feels something about the power click. She still isn't entirely sure what she's doing to trigger the blast, but the second attempt tells her more about the beams themselves.

"They aren't lasers," she calls, moving her head carefully and watching as the beams track with her movement. "It's heat, beams of pure heat."

"How does that even work?" she hears Alex ask before she loses her grip on whatever it is that lets her direct the beams of energy. "Lasers would be reasonably understandable, but _heat_? How can eyes generate _heat_?"

Cat's snort of derision is enough to set Kara off, and Alex stares at them both with a look like they'd insulted her favorite leather jacket. "She's an alien, you idiot. How are lasers any different from heat?"  
"It was rhetorical," Kara jumps in when she sees Alex open her mouth to explain, not wanting some scientific explanation to be sent their way as punishment for laughing. "And I promise I'll let you try to figure it out later, but right now I need to get it under control so I don't burn the hotel down tonight."

Alex sends her a glare through narrowed eyes at the evasion, but doesn't argue the point. "Then by all means, keep going."

It doesn't take long after that for Kara to at least be comfortable enough with this ability to feel safe getting into the car again. She's a little worried about what might happen if someone startles her, but for the most part she's confident that she has it under control. And as tired as she is, she doesn't anticipate being out where someone will have a chance to scare her. She just wants to get to the hotel and sleep.

"Here, lay down," Cat says when they get back into the car, obviously catching the yawn Kara had attempted to hide. "Apparently that particular gift takes some serious energy to sustain."

Kara nods her agreement to that, too tired to protest as Cat guides her down so her head rests in the other woman's lap, and too tired to catch the raised eyebrow Alex directs at them both. All that matters right now is the ability to close her eyes as exhaustion catches up to her.

Cat wakes her up when they reach town, and Kara reluctantly sits up with a groan. "If you woke me up and there isn't food, I might be a little cranky," she says as she stretches as much as the limited room will allow. She isn't exactly sore, but she's tired in a way that seems strange, that she can't remember ever being before.

"We were going to check in at the hotel first," Cat says as she stretches a little of her own beside her. And Kara doesn't mean to groan at that, she really doesn't, but she's still tired, and hungrier than she thinks is fair.

"Apparently that plan just got vetoed," Alex says from the front as she smoothly changes lanes, and Kara feels like she should be embarrassed but she can't quite muster up the energy to care. And when her stomach growls loudly enough for everyone in the car to hear, any arguments cease.

Kara is still chowing down on her food when they arrive, slightly astonished that she's been able to eat so much. She's always had an appetite, always eaten more than anyone around her, but the way she's putting away food now she thinks she could clear out an entire buffet and not break a sweat. She's glad now that Alex had the foresight to get her so much, because otherwise she'd definitely be sending her sister back out for a second run.

"Remind me to have Alex stop for more snacks tomorrow," Cat says as Kara finally finishes, glancing towards where Alex is finishing signing for the room. "Obviously using your powers results in increased metabolism, and we'll definitely need to have an emergency stash on hand."

"Trust me, I don't think I'll forget," Kara says, trying to laugh. Even though she's just eaten more than she ever has before, she can still feel the edges of her earlier hunger, knows that this won't be a one-time phenomenon. At this rate, keeping her fed is going to be the most expensive part of the trip.

"Okay, we're right over here," Alex says, interrupting Kara's train of thought as she gets back into the car to move them down a few spaces. "Nothing fancy, but I've stayed here before and the rooms are clean and the beds are comfortable."

"There's only one bed," Cat points out as they walk in the door, and Kara swears she sees the woman blush at the statement. "Alexandra Danvers, when we agreed you were in charge of lodging, I expected you'd be able to count."

"I can count just fine," Alex says as she sits on the edge of the king size bed, already moving to take her shoes off. "And Kara and I have shared hotel beds on trips before, and you and Kara have shared _your_ beds before, so I don't see what the problem is."

Kara joins Cat in blushing, studiously looking at the wall and willing her heat vision to stay dormant. As long as the heat stays focused in her cheeks, she's safe. And maybe she should have told Cat just how much she tells Alex, and what her sister won't stop insinuating is between them, but she hadn't known how to bring those factors up in conversation. She's not even sure she can actually have the conversation now.

"At least I know Kara doesn't kick," is all Cat says, though Kara can hear a strange tightness in her voice that makes her wonder what put it there. "And if you kick, you'll be kicking your sister,"

"I don't kick," Alex says, looking between them with a speculative look on her face, and Kara knows she'll be hearing about this once they're alone. "And despite what Kara says, I don't snore either."

"You do too," Kara mutters, kicking her suitcase out of the way and collapsing into a chair. "Maybe not super loud, but you definitely snore."

"You know what, just shut up and go to sleep," Alex says, tossing one of the pillows at her face. "Cat and I can finish planning tomorrow's route, but you're getting grumpy."

"Fine," Kara says after she looks between Cat and Alex, knowing her sister is right and receiving no support from Cat. "Just make sure there's food."

"Like we'd forget," she hears as she disappears into the bathroom to change, and she's not entirely sure who said it.

X

By this time sharing a bed with Cat is second nature to Kara, as is waking up wrapped in warm arms. She doesn't even blush anymore, or attempt to move away without waking Cat. If anything, she snuggles closer, her still half-awake brain far less concerned with avoiding added complications between them. When she's just waking up, not truly aware of the world, Kara is free to take the closeness and comfort Cat gives without second guessing what it means.

This morning is no different, Cat holding her close, with Kara's head on her shoulder, legs tangled together beneath the blanket, and Kara's arm draped over Cat's stomach. The only thing that's different is the fact Kara hadn't awoken first, this morning she can feel one of Cat's hands slowly running through her hair. Kara can tell from the way Cat holds herself that the woman hasn't opened her eyes yet, hasn't fully shaken off the last tendrils of sleep from her mind. They both seem content to lie there a little longer, pretending the rest of the world doesn't exist.

"Come on you two, checkout is in an hour." A pillow tossed at both of their heads jolts them out of the moment, and Kara rolls quickly over and away from Cat, staring up at her sister in shock. She'd somehow forgotten her presence entirely, let alone what she'd think about seeing them in such a situation.

"Don't think I won't get you back for that, Alex," Cat says as she sits up, glaring across the room without a trace of the embarrassment Kara is feeling. "You're lucky I'm not awake yet, it's too much effort before a good cup of coffee."

"I'll find you a mug," Kara says, blushing when Alex shoots her a look. It's another part of their mornings that's become routine, and she doesn't feel like second guessing it just now.

"You know, I'd be a lot more convinced every time you protested you didn't like her if you two weren't acting so much like a couple all the time," Alex says once Cat has disappeared into the bathroom and they hear the shower start. "Not just the whole cuddling thing, which by the way is adorable, but everything. You two are practically dating and just haven't talked about it yet."

"It's not like that," Kara argues as she straightens up from one of her bags, Cat's favorite coffee blend in her hand. "It's comforting, Alex. That's all."

"And you packed her coffee because that's just what friends do?" Alex tosses back with a raised eyebrow, pointing at the bag in Kara's hand. "Kara, you know I'm not going to judge, but I do think you need to be honest with yourself here. You obviously like her."

"And so what if I do?" Kara says in defeat, walking to the coffee machine and starting Cat's coffee on autopilot. "She's pretty amazing, Alex. She's dropped everything to help me, she has since I met her. How do I know if whatever I feel is just that, or if it's something more? And how am I supposed to know if she feels the same?"

"Okay, first of all, there's no way she doesn't feel the same," Alex says as she starts to gather their things. "I know you were pretending you were asleep, but I saw how she held you. That is not just a friend offering comfort. That's someone who cares about you, a lot. Everything else could _maybe_ be explained as her being a good person and wanting to help, but this morning? That was something more."

Kara thinks about that, about all the little things she's noticed from Cat over the past weeks, and has to agree with Alex. It still seems wildly unlikely that Cat would ever want to act on whatever it is she's feeling, but that doesn't mean she isn't feeling something in the first place. "It's not the right time," she says, knowing Alex will hear everything she doesn't say. "I can't deal with figuring this out _and_ trying to find Astra. These powers, this search, it has to come first."

"Just don't make her wait too long," Alex warns, the last thing she has time to say before the shower turns off and the conversation ends.


	10. Chapter 10

Kara barely manages to maintain the level of control she'd gained over her powers the next day, distracted as she was by Alex's words. She'd all but pushed her attraction to Cat out of her mind once she'd realized where it was heading, and with just a few sentences Alex had completely undone all of it. Only the knowledge that her abilities would absolutely be able to harm her sister and the woman she's growing to care about allow her to keep them in line, though the strain does keep Kara fairly quiet for the beginning of the drive.

Cat seems to notice, and Kara knows Alex does, but they both seem content to leave her to her thoughts. Cat wordlessly offers her snacks every time she shifts, and Alex keeps the radio on a comforting volume in the front. Conversation occasionally flows between the two of them, but they never push to involve Kara, and the few times she chimes in, she can feel Cat studying her, making sure she's okay.

It's enough to send a flush of warmth through Kara each time, which would be pleasant if not for the way she can feel it gathering at her eyes if she dwells on it for too long. She has to get better at control, or she risks the safety of the two women who have come to mean so much to her.

It's what makes her grateful when they find an abandoned field, because now she can practice, can learn to control the heat even when she's thinking about Cat. Kara already knows she'll need the practice, no matter what does or doesn't happen between them.

"Is she okay?" Kara hears Cat ask as she's focusing on the targets in front of her, the distance between them not seeming to matter when it comes to overhearing. Despite the low volume of Cat's question, she can hear it as clearly as if Cat is talking to her instead. "She's been quiet all morning."

"That's, well, that's probably my fault," Alex admits, surprising Kara and making her miss the target. Thankfully her accuracy still isn't always the best, so the slip seems to go unnoticed. "I pointed something out to her this morning, and I'm sure she's dwelling on it more than she should be."

"That sounds like Kara," Cat says with a laugh, the warmth in her voice making Kara flush, and lending a little extra punch to her heat vision, the target exploding just a bit more violently than the previous ones. At least she was on target. "Is it anything I need to worry about?" the follow-up question comes after a pause that Kara knows means the extra punch had been noticed, but when she goes back to the usual shots they seem to accept it as a fluke.

"Probably, but it's not something I'm going to talk to you about." Kara knows Alex is only trying to help, that she hadn't really told Cat anything personal, but she can't help twisting around, heat vision kept carefully in check as she glares at her sister. Whatever is happening between Cat and herself, it should be Kara's responsibility to face. Not Alex's on her behalf.

"Everything okay?" Cat calls as Alex falls silent next to her, confusion clear on both of their faces. "What's wrong, Kara?"

"Apparently hearing is one of the things that's not quite normal about me," Kara calls back, wincing at the way her own voice echoes in her ears. Even from across the field Alex spots the grimace, and quickly starts to Kara's side, ignoring the way the look turns to a glare. "Why'd you have to tell her that?" Kara whispers as Alex reaches her side, struggling to shut out the sound of her sister's breathing so she can focus.

"Because one of you needed to do something about it," Alex says just as quietly, reaching out to carefully place her hand on Kara's shoulder. "And the investigative reporter is probably the one who's most likely."

"You shouldn't have told her," Kara says, voice dropping even further as the wind picks up around them, the rushing sound overwhelming in power as she struggles for control. "It's so loud, Alex. So loud."

Kara barely notices the quiet, comforting reassurances her sister offers when she sinks to the ground, hands covering her ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise. She notices even less when Alex leaves her side, knowing that her sister wouldn't just leave her for no reason. And before she has a chance to feel even a flicker of abandonment Cat has taken her place. It's just as overwhelming as Alex's presence had been, but more familiar despite having known Cat for a much shorter time. She's broken down while near Cat more often than she has around Alex, at least lately, and somehow that's enough to make her presence reassuring.

"Focus on me, and me alone," Cat keeps whispering, until Kara manages to filter out what she's saying from the noise around her. It's hard, harder than controlling her heat vision, but slowly she manages. Not perfectly, the wind is still loud in her ears, the rasp of her clothing against her body is louder even than that, but she can tune them out, keep them from overwhelming her. As long as Cat keeps talking, Kara can focus on her and not breaking down.

When Alex slips noise cancelling headphones over her ears, Kara jumps in shock, because even though she'd heard her sister coming she'd been too focused to register it. And the headphones don't work to completely block the overwhelming surges of sound around her, but with them muted it's easier to focus through the background noise and on Cat. And with that help, she manages to get some control over her hearing, not just tuning the wind out but managing to shut it out completely. And through it all Cat keeps whispering, grounding Kara and serving as a solid anchor.

"Thank you," Kara says once she gets the noise under control, relieved when she can speak at normal volume without wincing at the volume. "I don't know how you two don't get tired of me and all of this."

"It's only the second day, you're not getting rid of us that easily," Cat says with a determined look on her face, leaning closer into Kara's side as Alex nods her agreement in the background. "And that would only matter if you were being a burden, and you're nothing of the sort."

"I'm going to get a blanket from the car, you're shivering Kara," Alex says in concern, though Kara knows her sister well enough to know while the excuse is perfectly valid, she's also leaving so they'll have a moment of privacy to talk. And she's not sure she's ready for that, but at the same time the way Cat is looking at her so softly, the way her hand carefully rests on Kara's arm to give her another level of steady contact to focus her attention on, every bit of Cat's demeanor pulls her in. Between Alex's comments and the way Cat is looking at her now, the last of Kara's reservations about timing are nothing more than distracting murmurs in the background, tuned out with the wind.

"Are you okay?" Cat asks softly, moving to stop Kara when she reaches up to take the headphones off. "We should probably leave those on for a little while longer, make sure you're ready before we take them off."

Kara pouts a little, if only because she knows it will make Cat smile. She knows it's the right call, but she's tired of having to watch all of her actions, to put up walls just to stay sane and protect those around her. She knows it will be easier with practice, but right now it just feels like everything is conspiring against her.

"I'm fine, just got overwhelmed," Kara says after a minute. Looking at how Cat is kneeling next to her she realizes there's no way the woman can be comfortable, so despite the fact she isn't hurting from the awkward angle, Kara shifts so she's sitting rather than crouched, carefully drawing Cat down beside her. "Thank you, for helping me. I think it would have taken a lot longer to calm down without you."

"I take it you overheard what we were talking about?" Cat asks quietly, waving off Kara's thanks. "I'm sorry if you felt we were going behind your back in any way. I just wanted to be sure you were okay."

"I know, and I wasn't really upset," Kara admits, calm now that the quick flash of anger has faded. "I was, a little, but at the same time I know you both were just looking out for me." She can't quite manage to look at Cat as she talks, staring instead at the hand still resting comfortingly on her forearm. It doesn't feel like the right time to talk about this, but she isn't sure she'll ever _really_ be ready, and at least she's already uncomfortable, so it's not like that can get worse.

"One of these days you'll quite being surprised I care so much," Cat says with a laugh, free hand raising to gently cup Kara's chin and tilt her head upwards until they're making eye contact. "You're amazing, and astonishing, and being able to help you, well, it's given me a direction these past few weeks. I haven't been just wandering around trying to find a story to break. And even if I never tell _this_ story, even if all that comes from this time is helping you, I've learned more from you than I'd thought possible."

The softness in Cat's eyes and voice, the way she looks at Kara almost in wonder, all of it crashes into the jumble of thoughts in Kara's mind as she struggles to put what she's feeling into words. She knows now that she needs to tell Cat what's going through her head, but she can't verbalize it. She doesn't know how, everything that comes to mind seems trite and meaningless. She can feel an emptiness where the words should sit, but somehow even without remembering them she knows they're in Kryptonian. The only words that can explain what she's feeling, and they wouldn't do her any good even if she knew them.

But if she can't speak, then Kara knows she needs to _show_ Cat. Her eyes linger for a moment on lips that look invitingly soft, but her courage abandons her and she instead leans in for a close hug, careful to avoid exerting any real pressure lest her strength be the next power to make an appearance. They hold the hug for a long moment, before Cat pulls back just enough to look her in the eyes again. The emotions in her eyes match the ones still swirling through Kara, and the intensity of the sudden connection nearly makes her gasp. She would, if she thought she could manage the needed breath.

And when Cat ends up being the one to press their lips together, leaning forward slowly as if giving Kara the chance to back away, her breath leaves her completely, following all rational thought as the world narrows to the soft slide of Cat's lips against hers. Somehow, she'd never expected Cat to be the one to take this step, but Kara is grateful that the other woman is apparently braver than she is.

"Come on you guys, we need to get to the motel quick if I'm going to change the reservation to two rooms," Alex calls from where she'd been waiting by the SUV for who knows how long.

Kara blushes as her sister's meaning sinks in, knowing that it's entirely teasing but unable to banish the sudden rush of images from her mind in time to keep from reacting. Somehow she manages to keep the heat confined to her cheeks, despite feeling it inch towards her eyes, and thinks that's probably enough practice for the day.

When Cat sits immediately beside her rather than against the other window, Kara blushes again, catching Alex smirking at them in the rearview mirror. But she can't bring herself to care, not when one arm is draped carefully around Cat's shoulders as the other woman curls into her side.

They'll have to talk about it later, but for now, Kara just wants to sit in this moment.


	11. Chapter 11

They don't talk about it.

Kara knows they need to, but every time she tries the words freeze on her tongue. It's easier to just let things be, especially when nothing really changes. She still counts on Cat to calm her down when she's overwhelmed, still falls asleep next to her and wakes up in her arms. With the exception of the occasional kiss and a certain added level of closeness, things are almost exactly how they were before.

So rather than talk about what's changed between them and risk upsetting the balance, Kara just goes with it. She leans in for the kisses, takes every bit of contact between them she can get, and doesn't think about what it means. It almost makes her feel normal, the way she thrives on Cat's touch, despite the constant awareness of her powers held carefully in check. When Cat is by her side she can pretend, if only for a moment, that what's building between them is the biggest thing in her life. It's only a brief reprieve from the nerves and pressure of finding her past, but it keeps her sane.

Kara needs the contact more as glimpses of memory start to flash through her mind, not for an escape but for a hold on the world around her, a reminder of why she shouldn't chase after every brief glimpse searching for more. No matter how much she just wants to remember and be done with it, she knows Cat and Alex are right to urge caution, and the fact that she's never alone helps her keep that in mind.

Despite the near constant way Kara stays at Cat's side, she's careful not to make Alex think she's being shut out in any way. She can't help it that somehow Cat's presence is able to calm her more effectively than her sister's, and she doesn't want Alex to feel that she's coming in second in any way. Without the additional security that comes from knowing Alex is always there to protect her, she knows she probably wouldn't be able to lean on Cat the way she does, wouldn't be able to give in and just take the offered comfort. Alex being there for her means just as much as Cat's presence and Kara makes sure her sister knows that.

Cat, for her part, makes sure to give the sisters time to themselves as often as possible, another level of silent understanding that makes Kara smile every time it happens. With the enforced closeness highlighting the way Kara is starting to rely on Cat's presence, it would be easy for either woman to feel left out, but somehow they all seem to be on the same page as far as keeping that from happening.

The days quickly fall into a rhythm, with no new powers emerging and Kara's control slowly improving. She still gets startled by loud noises, sometimes so startled she loses the blocks she's managed to put up, but Cat or Alex is always by her side, always with headphones and calming presence ready. And they never give Kara a chance to feel guilty for needing them so much, both in unspoken agreement to head those feelings off before they can take root.

It gets them across the country in one piece, though the same can't completely be said about the hotel rooms they leave behind. While Kara can mostly keep her strength under control, her fears of hurting someone seeming to keep them in check fairly handily, that doesn't mean there aren't a few broken lamps and chairs left in their wake. They embarrass Kara, but as long as it's just items and not one of the women travelling with her, she'll take it.

Nerves nearly get the better of her once they reach New York, and despite the comforting warmth of Cat curled into her side and the soothing sound of Alex breathing next to her, Kara can't sleep. She can remember more about Astra now, small things, but enough that she's desperate to find her. And yet she's also afraid of what might happen, what finding that link to her past might mean.

As much as she wants it, as much as she craves it with what seems like every bit of her being, the fact remains that things will change once she has the answers, once she's reunited with Astra. And she's not sure how to handle that knowledge. She doesn't want things to change, doesn't do well with change, but at the same time she knows it's inevitable. That she'll never be content without seeing this through.

As long as nothing changes with Cat, Kara tries to convince herself that everything will be okay. That no matter what happens tomorrow, she won't be disappointed or let down. As long as she has this, she can get through anything.

X

"What do you mean she isn't in contact with you anymore?" Alex asks fiercely as Cat comforts Kara, trying to keep the news from getting to her. "You're the one solid lead our search dug up, and you're telling me you can't help us?"

"I would if I could, I swear," Luke, their host, says as he tries to placate them. "Astra saved my life, I owe her for that, but all she ever asked for was to find her niece. But too many imposters came looking, and she'd never give very much information I could use to weed them out, so I think she just gave up on my being any help to her. I haven't seen her in over a year, maybe closer to two."

"And you don't have any way to get in touch with her?" Cat asks, looking up from where she's comforting Kara for a moment, as if sensing Alex is on the verge of losing her cool after long minutes of dealing with his frustrating answers. "I tracked her, you know. And you were the human she reached out to most often, the one she seemed to trust most. It's why we drove all the way here rather than try the woman in New Mexico."

"I don't know if she'll still monitor them, after the last time," Luke says sadly, apparently missing the vaguely homicidal looks being sent his way from both Alex and Cat.

"If there's any chance she will, you'd better get your ass in gear and send the damn message," Alex says, voice low and dangerous as her eyes flash, earning a look of fear from Luke and one of respect from Cat. Kara is too busy focusing on her breathing to look up and see it, but her mouth does twitch in the slightest approximation of a smile at how protective her sister is.

When Luke nearly runs from the room, stuttering his agreement, Kara finally looks up. "What if she doesn't answer?" It's all she can manage, but both Alex and Cat know her well enough to understand what goes unspoken. What if she doesn't answer, what if she's given up, what if Kara is still alone after getting her hopes up so far?

"She will," Alex says, coming to sit next to them now that she doesn't have to intimidate anyone. "She looked for you for over thirty years, I don't think she's going to ignore any sign of you, no matter how many times she's been let down. It might take her a little longer than you want, but don't give up yet."

"And if she doesn't, then we keep looking for her. We find another way to get her attention," Cat says, and Kara knows that where Alex was trying to reassure her, Cat is being realistic and hopeful at the same time. "This was just the first attempt, Kara, it doesn't mean we can't try something else."

At the confidence in her words, Kara can't help turning to capture Cat's lips with her own, ignoring the fact Alex is making faintly disgusted noises next to them. She'll apologize later, somehow, but right now she needs to show Cat how much her support means, and since words have completely failed her she lets the kiss speak instead. It's soft, almost chaste in the way every kiss they've shared has been, but this time Kara feels the emotions behind it deepening, can feel herself falling.

Or, floating, she realizes when she has to crane her neck to keep the contact. Alex is looking at her in amazement and amusement both, while Cat looks a little overwhelmed. Kara can't tell if that's because of the kiss or the floating though, isn't sure which she wants it to be.

"That's new," Alex says to break the slightly awkward silence between them, nudging Kara slightly to see if she can be moved in midair. The look on her face when Kara drifts with the push is about three steps beyond curiosity, and is one Kara knows well from the science experiments Alex used to spend hours fiddling with. But this isn't the place, so Kara wills herself down, not noticing that the drift had moved her over Cat's lap until the other woman grunts a little as she settles, arms coming up to wrap around Kara's waist almost instinctively.

"From the way you were gagging a minute ago, I never figured you'd be the one to get Kara into my lap," Cat tosses out as she pulls Kara closer, laughing at the way Kara blushes and Alex glares.

"Don't forget that's my sister you're talking about, Grant," Alex growls, pointedly not looking at them, and Kara can't help the giggle that escapes at how petulant her sister sounds. "It was an accident."

"Oh, I'm not complaining." Cat's voice is teasing, but the way she hasn't let Kara go proves that she means what she's saying. Not that Kara's complaining either. It's more direct contact than they've really engaged in before, other than cuddling in bed, but it's nice. She's just not sure whether her blushes will ever completely fade, the way Alex and Cat are teasing each other.

"I suppose it's a good thing I'm not afraid of heights," Kara says quickly, trying to change the subject before they can pull her into the teasing conversation. "How disappointing would it be to have the ability to fly but not the courage to leave the ground?"

"Keep grounded a little longer there, Kara. At least until we can find a field safely outside of the airport's radar. Or maybe until Astra can teach you," Alex says, always the one to point out the logic in a situation.

"Better her than me," Cat mutters, so quietly that if not for Kara's hearing, still tuned into Cat to keep the rest of the world out, she wouldn't have heard it.

"Are you afraid of heights?" Kara asks before she can stop herself, not even thinking about Alex being right there to hear her.

And of course Alex's face lights up as if Kara has given her a gift, mouth opening to undoubtedly toss some teasing comment Cat's way. Thankfully for everyone, Luke comes back before she has a chance to even start the sentence.

"Okay, I sent the message, but I have to warn you that even when Astra was still in contact it could take a few days. Do you have a number I can reach you at, in case she does take a little while? I don't know how long you're planning to stick around, but I can pass it along to Astra as well." It's not the answer they'd been hoping for, but it's better than nothing, and Kara fights to keep from being disappointed.

"Alex, will you grab him one of my cards, out of my purse? Your sister has me a little trapped at the moment," Cat says, as if she weren't the one holding Kara in place with a firm arm around her stomach. "We have a place in town rented for a week, but we can extend that if need be."

"Only call if Astra contacts you," Kara adds after a moment, feeling Cat and Alex look at her but focusing on Luke. "If we get a call every day just to hear that nothing has changed, I don't know if I can take it."

It doesn't take long after that for lingering details to be wrapped up, contact information and promises to call if anything changes exchanged on both sides. It feels anticlimactic, but Kara keeps reminding herself that it's a step forward. It's a chance they didn't have before. It's one more person who has seen her aunt. One more bit of proof that Astra had made it, that she was waiting for Kara.

The ride back to their motel is quiet, Cat sitting close to Kara in the backseat, Alex tossing worried looks over her shoulder every time they stop. Kara knows she's gone silent, has withdrawn a little to process, and resolves that once they reach the safety of their room she'll open back up, tell her sister and whatever Cat is to her now what's going on in her head. She just has to figure that out before they get there.

Focused as she is on making sense of her thoughts, Kara doesn't notice the men in the room until they're already through the door, looking up just in time to see a blinding flash of light coupled with an overwhelming rush of sound that sends Alex and Cat crumpling instantly. She falls soon after, the intensity overwhelming as it brings back the memory of Krypton exploding in front of her, and she feels herself slip into unconsciousness before she has a chance to do more than wonder who would want to hurt the three of them.


	12. Chapter 12

Astra sighs in relief when she finally manages to solve the puzzle of shielding herself from the shards of her home, slowly coming out of the near trance she'd induced to enable complete focus on the problem. She isn't entirely sure how the field will hold up against projectiles, but it's better than nothing and she's tested it as best she can. At very least it will keep the material from weakening her simply due to proximity, and making a second for Kara had only taken a few minutes. Now when she finds her niece, they'll be as safe as they can be.

Weary from the days of working without a break for anything but food and necessities, Astra heads towards the crude shelter she's rigged up, intending to rest for a few hours before beginning her search again. She doesn't usually need sleep, provided she gets enough sun during the day, but the strain of her focus has gotten to her, and Astra can feel fatigue dragging at the edges of her mind.

The flashing light on the notification console she'd assembled from scraps of human technology gets her attention as soon as she enters the shelter, and she's tempted to just ignore it. She'd been very clear to all of her informants that she was done, that she would find Kara on her own, and she'd meant that. It was too much to go through, flying out every time she'd gotten a message only to find that it was another human, attempting to take advantage of her loss.

But even as she turns, the message pulls at her. She's tired, so tired of false hope and crushing disappointments, but she'd sworn to take care of Kara no matter what the cost. And to do that, Astra has to find her first. Turning away a lead, no matter how likely it is to be another trick, does nothing but make that goal harder to attain.

So with a sigh, and a reminder that she cannot give into the urge to lash out should this be another false alarm, Astra crosses to the console, pushing her fatigue aside with old tricks she'd learned as a soldier. It's only mental fatigue, not physical, and she can ignore it almost indefinitely with the proper techniques.

The contents of the message, once she's reassured herself that she's reading it correctly, have Astra taking to the sky immediately. She only barely remembers to grab the spare shielding device before flying at top speed across the country, cursing the fact that she'd set up her camp so far away from her informant.

Back at the camp, the screen continues to display the message, the words 'she says her name is Kara' shining up from the display.

X

It's dark when Kara finally wakes up, too dark to make out anything but the most immediate details of her surroundings, only a few very dim emergency lights scattered throughout the room shedding any light. She can't see Cat or Alex, though with the way the lights are placed that doesn't mean much, there's more than enough shadows in the large room to hide three young women.

For a moment she debates calling out, but something in the silence tells her it might not be the best idea. But she needs to know whether they're okay, so with a careful breath and a quick prayer that this won't backfire, Kara stretches out her hearing. She tunes out anything that isn't Cat or Alex's heartbeats, almost sobbing with relief when she finds them both. She can't tell how far away they are, not quite practiced enough to figure that out, but just knowing that they're still alive, that they're somewhere nearby, is enough for now.

She doesn't have to wait long for more answers, though when they come she almost wishes they hadn't. The lights that turn on are dim; barely enough to illuminate the room, but what she can see doesn't inspire much confidence. She's in a cell that's more cage than anything else, with Alex on her left and Cat on her right. They're all blinking at the sudden relative brightness, but Kara can at least see that neither of them seems hurt.

She doesn't recognize the man in front of them, once she's able to pull her attention from checking on Cat and Alex long enough to focus on him. He's in some kind of military uniform, but Kara doesn't know enough to place it or what the various medals and insignias mean. From the way she sees Cat tense in the cell next to her though, she thinks the reporter does.

"Ladies, I'm General Lane," he says, pacing in front of them without making eye contact. "I'd like to apologize for the way you were brought here, but we're dealing with a threat to national security that necessitates we take no chances."

"Since when does national security mean throwing grenades at innocent college students with no warning or cause?" Alex asks venomously, struggling to her feet to glare at the General. It's so Alex that Kara can't be surprised, even as she's utterly terrified for her sister.

"You were seen visiting a known associate of a class one alien threat, Miss Danvers. That's a cause for grave concern to the federal government." Lane is making eye contact now, staring at Alex with a frown on his face that seems etched into the very structure of his bones, and Kara wishes her sister would just back down for once. This isn't a battle that can be won by sheer stubbornness, though if it was Kara would bet on Alex any day.

"We're researching a story, General Lane," Cat chimes in, ending the staring contest as she pushes to her feet as well. "I didn't want to travel alone, so I asked my friends to accompany me on the trip. There's no threat to national security in our first amendment rights, is there?"

"A message was sent from the contact during your visit, one our analysts cannot trace. You were in touch with the alien hostile, which classifies you as legitimate threats and provides me the probable cause needed to detain you for questioning." Lane finds just as much of a challenge in Cat as he does in Alex, and Kara almost smiles at the thought. If not for the seriousness of the situation, she would.

"Can you prove it was one of us who sent the message, and not this contact?" Alex asks, arms crossed over her chest and an unimpressed look on her face. "Or that it was sent with our knowledge at all?"

As Lane focuses again on Alex, Cat waves Kara down as she shifts to stand, shooting a warning look her way that Kara has no trouble interpreting. As long as the General is focused on them, as long as the focus is limited to these pointed questions and nothing more, she can't risk revealing herself. If the General thinks Astra is a threat to national security, then the last thing they need is for him to realize he's managed to capture her niece. Whether he'd view her as bait or as a threat is a moot point, either way Kara wouldn't be escaping any time soon.

"That's what the questioning is designed to answer. If you're guilty of nothing more than poor judgement, you'll be free to go." Kara isn't sure why she doesn't believe him, but something in the general's words rings false.

"With your apologies, of course." The sarcasm is dripping from Alex's words, disdain for the man clear in her face. It's obvious she doesn't trust him any more than Kara does, and a quick glance at Cat tells Kara it's unanimous.

"With a warning to avoid further contact with enemies of state." Lane doesn't seem impressed by the defiance, and Kara wishes she could somehow tell Alex to back off without drawing attention to herself. Antagonizing the man can't be the way to go. "Now, were you or were you not aware of the message being sent?"

"We were not," Alex says steadily, eyes never leaving General Lane's face. "Cat was collecting eye witness accounts for a story, we had no way of knowing he would still be in contact with the alien." Kara had never thought her sister could lie this well, but she's impressed by how believable she sounds at this moment. If the General hasn't questioned Luke, they might even get away with this.

"And is that true, Miss Grant?" General Lane says, turning to face Cat with a sneer. "You just happened to be researching a story so old no respectable journalist will touch it? A story that's killed more journalism careers than anything else in the last century?"

"It's the truth. Whether you choose to believe it or not is on you. Given your medieval rhetoric and tendency to literally shoot first and ask questions later, I doubt the motivation behind my article will mean anything to you." Part of Kara wants to cheer at the way the general's face turns red at the insult, but it's far overshadowed by the part of her that's afraid Cat is going to provoke a response. She can tell just by looking at the man that he's capable of being dangerous when pushed.

"I think you've just volunteered to explain for me," Lane says as he gestures for one of his aides to unlock Cat's cell, and Kara feels herself freeze at the threat in his voice.

She can't let him hurt Cat.

X

Astra is out of breath when she reaches her informant's house, having pushed herself far harder than ever before. She easily spots the military van keeping the house under surveillance, but she's fast enough to avoid being spotted and a quick scan with super hearing and vision lets her see they aren't currently using anything more than basic video to watch for her. Their complacency makes the soldier in her shudder, but she's glad for it today. If she can avoid fighting that might endanger Kara she will.

"Where is she?" Astra demands as she sweeps into the house, not caring that her informant looks ready to faint with fear. "Where is Kara, where is my niece?"

"She and her friends left, we weren't expecting a response so quickly," Luke stutters out, shrinking back from her as she paces. "They gave me a number to call if you contacted me, or they're staying at the inn off Benley Road, just outside of town. Said they'd be here for a week or so, waiting for you."

Astra doesn't bother responding, just grabs the card Luke is holding out in a trembling hand before flying off as quickly as she can. Words are irrelevant right now, will only take time she doesn't have. Time that can be better spent flying towards the outskirts of town. She's grateful that part of her training had always been to memorize the layout of any area you frequent, between the address written on the back of the card and her knowledge of the town she navigates to the inn within minutes.

She could have flown faster, but halfway there she was wracked with uncertainty. Kara is looking for her, but what if it's in anger? True, Astra deserves it, every bit, but can she face it without breaking? What will she do if Kara blames her for the years of separation?

Ultimately Astra knows that no matter what Kara's reaction, she needs to be there for her niece now. The mistakes she's made, the years apart, she can't erase those, but she can start making good on the long ago promise to protect Kara now.

But once again she proves too late, the scene in the room that should be Kara's far too familiar to a soldier. She sees the light charring from a grenade, though the relative lack of damage proves it was a stun grenade rather than anything damaging. Still, to a Kryptonian's sensitive hearing and sight, it must have been overwhelming, and Astra feels a moment of despair try to pull her down before it's masked by anger. Anger is good, anger will give her a focus and the strength she needs to find whoever did this and make them pay.

Mind flashing back to the military surveillance, Astra knows exactly how she's going to find out who is behind this. And she's going to enjoy every minute.

X

"No!" Kara yells as the soldier pulls Cat out of the cell, watching as the force makes the other woman stumble. It's not in pain, they haven't hurt her, but Kara can feel the 'yet' hanging on the end of that thought.

"Kara, shut up," Cat says through clenched teeth, looking pointedly at Alex in a signal to calm her sister down. "I'll be fine."

"Well now, this is an interesting development," Lane says as he looks between them, noting the way Alex has reached through the bars to rest a calming hand on Kara's arm, as well as the way Kara is still looking at Cat with desperation clear on her face. "Perhaps you're more likely to talk than either of your friends here?"

"They already told you the truth," Kara manages to get out; knowing the shakiness of her voice is far less convincing than Alex and Cat's steady determination. "There's no reason to hurt her."

"I don't believe you," Lane says, each word drawn out deliberately, eyes cold and unfeeling as he stares at her. "There's more to this story than you're telling me, and I will have my answers."

Cat stumbles again as they go to lead her from the room, and suddenly Kara can't think, can't do anything but react. All she can see is Cat looking back at her, shaking her head to warn her off. And if Kara could obey then she would, but she's beyond that. She only knows that the soldiers around them are going to hurt the woman she's falling for, and she can't let that happen.

The metal bars of the cell are no match for her as she pushes through them without a thought, moving faster than she'd thought possible for anyone to move as she crosses the room to Cat's side. It's little more than the work of a thought to toss the soldiers holding Cat's arms to the side, not caring where they land or whether they're okay. All that matters is pulling Cat into a fierce embrace, careful not to exert any force despite needing to cling to her.

"I knew there was more to this," Kara hears from behind her after a few seconds of shocked silence, and instantly she's letting Cat go and moving in front of her defiantly.

"I told you not to hurt her," Kara growls out, not sure where her sudden bravado is coming from, but not questioning it. She took down two armed and theoretically highly trained soldiers, she'll take the General down too if it comes to that.

"It's not her I wanted; it's the aliens infesting this world. Threats like you need to be contained, before you doom our world to destruction." The gun in Lane's hand is steady despite the madness in his voice, and Kara feels a flash of fear fight through her anger. She's saved Cat from one threat, but she isn't sure enough of her abilities to save her from this one.

The standoff lasts only a second before the roof seems to cave in around them, Kara acting on instinct and covering Cat with her own body, hoping against hope that Alex will be safe in her cell until Kara can get to her. When the crashing of rubble ends, Kara stands carefully and turns to look, relieved when she sees Alex still safe, sheltered in her cell with not a scratch on her. The force of the ceiling falling had knocked the door open, a large piece of rubble laying off to the side, but Alex is safe.

That's when the fear gripping her chest relaxes enough for Kara to take in the rest of the room, to actually see the woman standing over a prone General Lane. "Astra?" she gasps out before her knees give way, sending her to the ground next to Cat as memory after memory flashes through her mind.

She remembers her aunt staring at the stars with her, remembers the long talks about the different worlds in the galaxy that Astra had visited, the way she'd always felt safe in her arms as she fell asleep. She remembers Astra fighting with her mother, the way the fights had eventually given way to tears, to promises to protect Kara from what was coming. She remembers the rush to the landing bay, the last desperate embrace from her mother before she'd taken off to follow Astra. She remembers everything, and for long moments it's almost too much.

Cat's arms around her shoulders eventually ground her once more, bringing her back to the present with a gentle pull Kara can't fight against. And when she look up Astra is right there, reaching out hesitantly as if afraid Kara will pull away.

The hesitation fades when Kara reaches up a hand to grasp Astra's, pulling her down and into a hug, keeping Cat close as well when the woman goes to pull away. Even with Astra right there, Kara needs Cat's warm presence to keep her grounded, just as much as she needs Astra to know that things will be alright now. If Alex were next to them as well, this would be all Kara ever needed from life.

When the lights around them turn green, Kara gasps in surprise as she feels herself weaken, nausea clawing at her as she struggles to keep from collapsing completely to the floor. "It looks like we finally caught you," she hears Lane say as if from a great distance.

When Astra tenses as if to move, Kara knows her aunt is reacting the way a soldier would, ready to take out the threat facing them. And while she hates Lane for what he'd been willing to do, she doesn't want her aunt to kill for her. Even the fact she'd been willing to do the same for Cat doesn't change that.

"No, Astra, please, don't hurt him," Kara pleads as she pulls weakly at her aunt's arm. "We have to be better than him."

"You could never be anything less than exceptional, Little One," Astra says softly in Kryptonian as she gives in to the pressure on her arm, carefully shifting Kara from Cat's arms and into her own. "Don't worry, I have a way to keep this material from hurting you, you will be fine."

"I trust you," Kara says, Kryptonian slipping from her lips for the first time in years, settling comfortably in her head and heart.

"Then trust me to stop him without harming him," Astra says, this time in English as she passes Kara back to Cat with a searching look at the other woman. "This one will protect you while I deal with him."

"I've actually got him covered if you'll take care of whatever these lights are," Alex calls out, and Kara summons all the strength she has left to look over towards where Lane had been.

She's only half surprised to see Alex standing over the general with a gun in hand, looking more comfortable than Kara would have expected, even though she remembers the stories of Alex's grandfather teaching her everything from wilderness survival to how to shoot a gun before he'd passed.

"He will have the controls," Astra says as she stands, stalking menacingly towards the pair, seemingly unaffected by whatever it is that's weakening Kara.

"How are you standing?" Lane gasps out, moving to cover the remote with a look of desperation on his face. "The strength of this Kryptonite should have you incapacitated."

"I'm far smarter than you give me credit for," Astra says calmly, grabbing the remote from his hands with seemingly no effort, and Kara sighs in relief when the lights fade and her strength returns.

In the next second she's whimpering as the sounds and sights around her press into her mind with excruciating force, any control her unconscious mind had once exerted gone, leaving her grasping for what she's managed to learn over the past week. But it's too much, and she can't shut anything out, can't manage to focus on anything around her no matter how much she tries. All she can do is curl into herself, hoping that something, anything will change

X

Astra recognizes what's happening the second Kara collapses, remembers fighting to control her own abilities when she'd landed, and knows she has to get her niece away from here as quickly as she can. She'd built an isolation chamber of sort years ago, one that would filter out distracting stimuli while Kara gained control of her abilities, and she needs to get her to it quickly.

"Wait, where are you taking her?" the blonde who had been holding her niece so carefully cries as Astra picks Kara up and prepares to fly off with her.

"Somewhere she can be safe," Astra replies, knowing that this woman is important, even if she doesn't know what she is to her niece. "Her abilities are too strong; she needs to learn to control them before they overwhelm her."

"I help with that, I can help now," the woman pleads, but Astra knows her human build will slow them down, and she needs to get Kara to safety now.

"We'll track them down," the brunette with the gun says, obviously reading Astra's hesitation for what it is. "Astra, tell her where you're going and we'll meet you there when we've taken care of Lane."

With a nod of understanding Astra leans down to whisper her destination to the woman, careful to keep Lane from overhearing. She doesn't know how two women will take down the human general and his organization, but if Kara believes in them then so will she.

When she receives a nod of recognition and understanding, Astra returns it with one of her own, before pushing off and into the sky without a look back. She finally has Kara back, now she just has to make sure her niece makes it through this with her sanity intact.


	13. Chapter 13

"So, what are we supposed to do now?" Alex asks as Cat stares blankly at the hole in the ceiling, hoping to pull the other woman out of her stupor. She understands completely, but she's holding a United States Army General at gunpoint, so a plan would be nice.

"I need to make a call," Cat says as she tears her attention away from the ceiling, looking around the room for a phone. "I have a contact that owes me a favor, though I have a feeling I'm going to end up owing them for this one."

"You're going to end up in federal prison is what you're going to end up," Lane starts from where he's still lying prone, and Alex sighs in disgust. As much as she knows Kara was right to stop her aunt, she kind of wishes she hadn't. Now they have to deal with him ranting while they try to find a way out of this mess.

"As long as it isn't next to yours," Alex tosses off before she can stop herself, knowing she's only provoking him but too pissed to care.

And sure enough he goes off on exactly how much trouble they're in as if he has a script, boring and predictable threats that Alex tunes out as best she can. As long as he doesn't make a move to escape, they're fine for now.

"Okay, we should be good," Cat says when she finally hangs up the phone, letting out a deep sigh of relief. "The base is on lockdown given the escape situation, and they don't realize we're holding the General, which means no one is going to be mounting an assault on this area to rescue him. And as base commander he's the only one who can lift the lockdown from inside, so we should be safe until my contact comes through."

"You want to share the rest of the plan with the class?" Alex says distractedly, waving the gun in her hands a little as General Lane tenses as if to move. She may know how to use it, but he's still a trained soldier and she can't afford to underestimate him.

"A classmate of mine in college works at the White House, a position I helped him get. So he can get our story to the people who need to hear it. He can't guarantee what they'll do, but from what I told him we should at least get a fair chance to explain ourselves," Cat says as she begins to dig through the papers around the room. Alex has no idea what she's looking for, but figures it's probably just journalistic curiosity. And if they're stuck here until someone shows up to fix the mess they've created, then she might as well keep busy.

It seems like forever before the door opens, and Alex instinctively raises the gun in her hands to point towards the ceiling, hoping that whoever is here is on their side. Or at least not the General's, all things considered. And when shots don't immediately ring out and Alex sees the General in the same kind of handcuffs they slap on her, she thinks that maybe they've gotten lucky after all.

X

It's hard to be optimistic after two solid hours of interrogation, but Alex manages. If they're still being questioned, that means Lane hasn't been put in charge of them. And she isn't sure, but she thinks the agents in charge of interrogating her are sympathetic. They don't yell, they don't seem bored or hostile in any way; they just seem to want every detail she can remember about the incident.

Alex is wary about trusting them with Kara's secrets of course, but they don't seem interested in that. They seem to be focused on what happened from the point they returned to the hotel, glossing over Kara and Astra both. So while it's clear they know Astra was there, and that she took Kara with her when she left, the agents don't seem to care where they left or when they'll be back.

After Alex has answered every question twice, they leave her alone to presumably compare her story to the other versions they've heard. And while Alex knows she should probably be worried, held in some government building with officials debating whether she'll be allowed to go free, all she can think about is Kara. About whether Astra managed to get her safely away, whether the shock will be too much for Kara. She'd seen the telltale signs of sensory overload, seen Kara try and fail to cope even with Cat right next to her. And Astra might be the best person to help Kara work through the powers Kara still only half understands, but that doesn't mean she'll be the best at dealing with the memories. She's too close to them, too much a part of what Kara had lost.

An hour passes as Alex tries not to visibly chafe at the waiting, wanting to know what's going to happen to her, whether she'll have the chance to track down Astra and Kara to make sure her sister is okay. She's been protecting Kara for so long that it seems wrong to be just sitting quietly, not knowing where Kara is, but it's all she can do for now and fidgeting will only make things worse.

She isn't expecting the President to walk into the small room, straightens reflexively as she looks towards the door, expecting a Secret Service agent to follow close behind.

When they're left alone, Alex starts to wonder what's going on, whether this thing with General Lane is bigger than she could have imagined.

"Well, Alexandra Danvers, it's nice to meet you," the President says with a calm smile that Alex thinks is designed to set her at ease. "I think we have quite a bit to discuss, don't you?"

"Madam President," Alex says with a nod of her head, following her lead until she knows more about the situation. "It does seem to be a day for questions." The joke seems to fall flat to Alex's ears, but the President lets out a soft laugh and smile as she takes one of the chairs opposite her, so maybe this won't be so bad after all.

"I'm certain you're eager to leave, as was your companion Catherine Grant, but I wonder if you might be willing to stay for just a little longer and speak with me," she asks, leaning casually back in the chair.

"Did Cat already leave?" Alex asks, mind racing through what these new developments might mean.

"She did, with a promise to return once she was able. She and I have several things to discuss as well, not the least of which being how she frames her article on General Lane. But she seemed most insistent to track down your sister, and left with my apologies for the delay." Alex knows that politicians are practiced liars, that they have to be in today's political climate, but she doesn't see anything in President Marsdin that makes her question what she's being told.

"And you're saying I could leave as well?" Alex pushes, needing to hear that before she decides. "But you're hoping I stay to talk rather than promise I'll return?"

"That about sums it up," the President says with a smile. "The article will wait, if only because your friend knows I have information she will need to make it truly complete. The issue I have for you however, is rather more time conscious."

Alex thinks of Kara, struggling to cope with new abilities and returned memories. She thinks of her promise to protect her sister, how that duty has expanded over the past weeks as Kara began to deal with her past. She imagines leaving her alone to that, and is about to open her mouth to tell the President she needs to leave, when the woman interrupts her train of thought.

"I know you're anxious to see to your sister, as was Miss Grant, but I hope that you'll at least hear what I have to say before making your decision. I think my offer will be worth listening to, at very least." Alex narrows her eyes at the manipulation, but there's no harm in listening, right?

"I'll give you thirty minutes," Alex says as she settles back into her chair, hoping the borderline rudeness of her tone doesn't come back to bite her.

"Thank you, Miss Danvers," the President says with a satisfied smile. "Now, about this proposal…"

X

Kara relaxes immediately when Astra gets her into the isolation chamber she'd built so many years ago, the lack of outside stimulation giving her overworked mind a rest. It won't solve everything, but it _will_ give Kara a chance to recover and gather herself to learn control.

As Kara sleeps Astra debates whether she should return for the woman who had held her niece so carefully, but she can't tear herself away from Kara's side. She'd wondered, on the darkest nights, whether she'd made it to Earth at all, and even finding her pod hadn't fully eased those fears. Now that Kara is here, in front of her, Astra can't bring herself to leave.

Instead she watches, eyes sharp for the first sign that Kara is waking. She hopes they'd gotten here in time, that the quiet of the isolation chamber and the chance to rest gave Kara's mind a break and chance to recover, but she won't know for sure until she wakes. The press of sensory input without being able to shut any of it out could have overwhelmed her completely, sent her mind hiding from the pain. If that happened, Astra doesn't know whether she'll be able to help.

"Where am I?" Kara asks in Kryptonian when she stirs awake, looking around herself wildly. The container is lined with lead to keep her vision contained, including the lead lined glass of the window Astra is standing at. It's also so well insulated that not a single sound from outside can pass through the walls, meaning all Kara will be able to hear is the quiet hiss of air passing through the vents, at least until Astra activates the sound controls next to her.

"You're safe, little one," Astra whispers into the intercom, watching as Kara looks for her, gaze finally settling on where she stands. And when Astra sees that Kara recognizes her, that she's okay, that her niece is still there, she can't help the tears that come to her eyes. Kara is safe, Kara is here, and Astra will do anything needed to keep her that way.

"Where are we?" Kara asks as she stands, walking towards the window as if expecting it to open. "Why am I in here?"

"Your powers are too strong for you to control," Astra explains first, still whispering as it's obvious Kara can hear her perfectly well, so anything louder would likely be too much. "This room allows for limited sensory input, so you can learn to control your abilities gradually, without them driving you mad."

"Where are Cat and Alex?" Kara asks once that sinks in, looking around for them. "Are they safe?"

"I couldn't bring both you and them," Astra explains, hoping her explanation won't turn Kara against her, even temporarily. "You were in pain from the rush of sensation; I needed to get you here as soon as I could. They would have slowed me down, and I might have been too late. But they will be on their way."

"I need Cat," Kara whispers, pulling back into herself, and Astra curses her decision to remain. She should have known her presence wouldn't be enough for Kara, not after years of separation. "Her heartbeat, Aunt Astra, it grounds me. I need something to ground me."

"I will find her and return," Astra promises, aching with the need to help Kara, even if it's by finding someone else who can do more than she can. "I won't be long, little one."

Kara just nods and sags back to the ground, arms wrapped around her knees as she hides her face. And it still pains Astra to leave, but if Kara needs someone who isn't her, then that's what she'll get. It's not until she's already airborne and heading towards the nearest town, the location she'd given to the blonde before flying off with Kara, that she realizes she doesn't know which of the humans is Cat and which is Alex. With any luck both women will be waiting for her, but if not then Astra will just have to hope she's lucky enough to find Cat first.

She hesitates when she gets to the town and sees several of the military vehicles she's come to associate with attacks, as well as a large number of soldiers all gathered around the small blonde who had held her niece so carefully. Instinct tells her that this one is likely to be the Cat she's looking for, and if Astra were less of a soldier she'd be landing now. As it is she has to make herself study the soldiers, knowing that it's unwise to underestimate them even with the blocking field still strapped to her suit. If they intend to harm Kara, then she has to make sure they have no way to follow her back to camp. It's why she'd given the woman the name of this town rather than specific directions to where she would be waiting.

Stretching out with her hearing, Astra lands carefully on a nearby roof, hoping that the woman she's here to collect will be the first to notice her. And when she is, Astra lets out a quick prayer of thankfulness to Rao, gesturing to her ear to get the human to speak, hoping she'll understand Astra's reticence to land in the middle of the soldiers.

"It's okay, they were my ride here, and they had orders to wait until you collected me in case I needed a ride back," she says, quietly enough to avoid getting the soldiers' attention. "These aren't Lane's men, in fact Lane and his troops were under arrest last I knew. So quit hiding on that roof and come take me to Kara before I start walking and hope I've picked the right direction."

Astra has to admire her spirit, finds herself grateful that Kara had such a determined protector even if she hadn't been around to do it herself. And with the reassurance that things are as they seem, Astra does as instructed. She's ready to take off again at a moment's notice should there be any hint of hostility from the assembled soldiers, but as she lands all she sees is respect and perhaps a little fear. She can understand that, and as long as fear doesn't translate to attack, can tolerate it.

"Are you the one Kara calls Cat?" Astra asks quietly when the woman stands to greet her, needing to know whether she's found the correct human, and letting out a soft sigh of relief when she nods. "Then I shall take you to my niece. Hold on," she continues, ignoring Cat's protests as she carefully lifts her and takes off into the sky. "This is the fastest and only way to Kara's side," she explains as Cat squirms in discomfort.

"Just don't drop me," Cat says as she stills, clinging tight to Astra's shoulders and refusing to look down. "And let me know when we're back on solid ground. Heights like this are for birds and aliens, not humans."

Astra smirks as she speeds up just slightly, deciding that she likes this particular human. She'd been prepared to solely based on Kara's attachment to her, but what she's seen from the woman impresses her all on its own. She's tough, obviously dedicated to taking care of Kara, and brave enough to face her obvious fear of heights in order to make it to Kara's side. Few things can win Astra over than bravery and a care for Kara that matches her own, but it seems Cat has both, as well as a sharp wit that will no doubt make conversations interesting once things settle.

As soon as they're back on the ground Cat is stumbling to Kara's side, and Astra nods in approval. It's exactly what she would have done in Cat's place. "There's a door on the side, it will let you in to her. Wait for it to latch behind you before you open the inner door, or the soundproofing will fail. And be careful, Kara likely has little control over her abilities at this moment."

"You're letting me in to her side anyway?" Cat says in disbelief, and Astra wonders for a brief second if she's misjudged the woman entirely. But then Cat is walking towards the door with no hesitation, and she knows that this is a woman who will put herself in danger to protect Kara, no matter the risk. "I thought I would have to fight you to let me in."

"In a fight, I would win," Astra points out, crossing her arms and daring the woman to disagree. "But I know that Kara wants you by her side, and that you're willing to take the risk of being there. That will help her more than I ever could."

Cat hesitates at the door before nodding in Astra's direction, thanks clear on her face. "I'll get her settled, and then I'm sure you have some ideas on getting her abilities under control." As she opens the door she hesitates, reaching into her pocket and tossing her phone towards Astra. "Don't want that going off in there if Kara is as sensitive as you say right now, and Alex is supposed to check in soon. She was delayed by some project the President had for her, but even the leader of the country won't be able to keep Alex from her sister for much longer."

Astra catches the device easily but distractedly, the information Cat has dropped giving her a bit more context for Kara's relationships with the two women. Sisters would explain the closeness, she can still remember how determined Alura was to save her as well as Kara. If these two women have been Kara's family when Astra couldn't be, then she owes them her thanks.

When she looks up and sees Cat carefully pressing a kiss to Kara's lips, Astra smiles wryly, easily rewriting the mental picture she's building to accept the new information. One sister and one lover. Perhaps that's better, though Astra has to admit she wishes there were a proper Kryptonian suitor for her niece's affections. She's seen too much of humanity's failings to trust them completely, though if this woman can make Kara happy then so be it.

X

"You came," Kara whispers as Cat enters the room, moving slowly to keep from overwhelming her. "When I woke up and you weren't here, I was so afraid. Where's Alex?"

"Alex will be here soon, after you left we had to take care of General Lane," Cat explains, voice barely a whisper to avoid overwhelming Kara. From the way she flinches she knows it's still loud, but she doesn't pull away so Cat continues. "The President got involved, said she had a special project for Alex, but it shouldn't take too much longer."

"Come here," Kara begs, reaching out a hand to bring Cat closer, though she doesn't tighten her grip when Cat takes it, obviously afraid she's lost the ability to gauge her strength with everything else. "I'm glad you came."

"Nothing could keep me away," Cat promises as she sinks to the ground at Kara's side, leaning in and placing the softest kiss possible to Kara's lips. "Now, we need to get you grounded so Astra can help you with your powers, so tell me what you need."

"Will you hold me?" Kara asks, blushing slightly as she does. They've curled up together many times before, and she usually wakes up wrapped in Cat's arms, but something about the request being voiced seems strangely intimate, the question lingering in the air between them.

But Cat doesn't hesitate, shifting so she's sitting behind Kara and immediately wrapping her arms around her tense form. "Are you listening to my heartbeat?" she asks when Kara tilts her head back, eyes closes as she focuses on something.

"I am. It's peaceful," Kara explains, voice a little louder than it had been, as if Cat's presence is already helping remind her of what control she'd built on their way to New York. "It gives me something to hold on to while I sort through my memories."

"Will you tell me?" Cat asks, knowing that sometimes getting the words out has helped Kara.

"I remember everything," Kara says, whispering again, though Cat thinks that this time it's because of emotions rather than abilities. "I remember my mother, and my father, and my planet. I remember my aunt too, how she was always there for me when Mother was busy."

As Kara talks about her home planet, Cat listens in amazement, just letting her speak even when she hears something that she wants to hear more about. There will be time for questions later, now she needs to let Kara get this out, to deal with the memories so she can move forward.

Cat doesn't know how long they sit there, but when Kara falls silent she looks up to see Astra staring at them with a smile, knows that somehow the older woman has heard every word Kara's spoken. She'd forgotten she was there after the first door had closed behind her, and for a brief moment is embarrassed at the thought she'd seen the kiss between them as well as the extended contact as Cat held Kara.

"Kara, how are you feeling?" Astra's voice comes through hidden speakers, barely a whisper.

"I'm good, Aunt Astra," Kara says at a much more normal volume, and Cat's smile mirrors Astra's at the proof she's regained her control, at least in this limited environment.

"I am grateful your _zrhymin_ was able to help," Astra says at the same volume, and Cat feels Kara tense and flush against her. She doesn't know why, but if she had to guess Cat thinks it probably has something to do with the word she doesn't recognize, and she feels her curiosity rise.

"I-we're not- Rao, Aunt Astra," Kara groans, covering her face with her hands as Cat begins to guess what the word means. When Kara lets out a string of Kryptonian that Cat has no chance of understanding she pushes the curiosity down, knows that Kara will tell her later.

" _Urvish_ , little one, I won't embarrass you," Astra says, laughing as Kara glares. Cat is grateful to see that there's not even a hint of her heat vision sparking to life as she does, knows that Kara really has found her control once again. "Now, shall we work on mastering your abilities so the two of you can leave the chamber?" she asks as if she hadn't been teasing her niece, and Kara nods quickly.

Cat doesn't move as Astra begins to walk Kara through various methods of maintaining control, knows that for this at least Kara will need her presence close enough to sense rather than safely on the other side of the glass. And as dangerous as it could be, she hadn't hesitated when Astra let her in, and she won't hesitate now.

They only stop when Cat's phone rings, Alex demanding that someone come pick her up so that she can see her sister. Kara's come far enough that with Cat by her side Astra thinks she's ready to face the unfiltered world again, and as she takes off Cat opens the door to let them out, watching Kara carefully as they emerge.

But there's no hesitation or trace of strain on Kara's face as she steps out, just curiosity as she looks around them, and Cat realizes once again how strong this woman is. To have faced what she has in her life and come out intact, it's awe inspiring in a way that not even her abilities are. And Cat can't help kissing her again, this time a little deeper than the almost chaste kisses they've shared before.

"How do you feel so much like home," Kara whispers as they break apart, tilting her head down to rest her forehead against Cat's with a small smile on her face.

And Cat has a dozen responses, from pithy to sappy and everything in between, but Kara deserves more than a curt remark and Cat doesn't do overly emotional, so there's only one thing to say. "Because maybe this _is_ home."


	14. Chapter 14

Cat laughs as she watches Kara literally launch herself across the room at Alex, happy to see the Kryptonian so unreservedly happy. It's been a few months since they'd seen Alex, and Cat knows it's been tough on Kara. Especially given they hadn't been able to hear all the details, a fact that had left Kara pouting for a solid week after Alex had left.

"You've gotten a lot more control over your abilities," Alex compliments as she finally manages to disentangle herself from Kara, at least for the most part. "You'll have to show me the rest sometime."

"I'm not supposed to use them in the apartment," Kara admits, sending Cat a sheepish look as she does, clearly aware she'd broken the rules.

"Not after you broke my lamp trying to perfect a midair roll." Cat hadn't minded, she hadn't been particularly attached to the lamp, but it made Kara so very apologetic that she'd played it up.

And really, it was probably better for the sake of discretion anyway. While Cat doesn't mind a few of the abilities (hot lattes delivered every morning quickly topped that list) the flashier ones like flight and super strength are probably best kept under wraps. At least until Kara decides whether she intends to go public, something she's still debating. Cat will never ask Kara to hide who she is, but constant usage of her powers could become a habit, and if Kara uses them without thinking while in public that debate will be over whether she's ready or not.

And the way Kara pouts now makes it all the more worth it, Cat decides. She's happy, reunited with her sister, and pouting adorably as they both laugh at her. There's a lightness to Kara that'd been absent while Alex was gone, and now that she's back things feel almost back to normal.

"You weren't supposed to gang up on me," Kara whines as she leads Alex to the couch, curling into her sister's side as soon as they're both sitting. "It's not fair."

"Hey, I have five months of teasing to make up for, and Cat's gonna have all the best stories," Alex says as she wraps an arm around Kara's shoulders. They look so comfortable like that, Cat is grateful that things have worked out well enough that they still have this.

"I only spill secrets for fair trades, Danvers," Cat says with a smirk, settling into her own chair across from them. "You promised that once you returned you'd be able to tell us a bit more about why you'd been gone, and until I hear that story you don't get the one about Kara scaring herself with a new ability."  
"That is just not fair, I think I'd tell you confidential secrets for that one," Alex says, poking Kara as the blonde tries to hide. "But this isn't confidential anymore, at least not from you two. The President offered me a job."

"Wait, a job?" Kara asks, bolting upright to look at Alex in confusion. "What kind of job?"

"The kind of job Lane used to do, just with a lot better team and a lot better motives," Alex says calmly, even when Kara starts shaking her head. "Look, Kara, I know you think it's dangerous, but the position she wants to give me will be more behind the scenes than in the field. And she wants Astra to help."

"I think we need a few more details here," Cat breaks in before Kara can get too upset, trying to keep things from getting out of control. "What exactly is it you'll be doing?"

"I'll be running the team, monitoring signs of alien presence in the country and tracking whether they're hostile or not," Alex explains, shooting Cat a thankful look. "The current plan has me working from a central location rather than leading the charges."

"Why you? Why not military officials she already has?" Kara asks quietly, and Cat has to keep herself from crossing the room at how vulnerable she sounds. Every other time Kara has needed comfort over the past few months she's been right there, but now she'll have to get used to sharing the job with Alex again.

"She wants a new organization, not one Lane has corrupted. That means new recruits, building from the ground up to find people willing to give aliens the benefit of the doubt. The fact that I know two personally, one very well, gives me an edge. Between that and my doctoral focus, the President thinks I'm the best fit for director." Cat can see the logic, can respect the reasoning, but from Kara's still tense frame it will take her a little longer to accept it.

"Just promise me you'll be safe." It's soft, Cat barely hears it from where she's sitting, but even as quiet as she is both women can clearly hear the emotion in her voice.

"Of course I will be," Alex immediately reassures her, pulling back from Kara just enough that she can turn and face her directly. "The President wants me to talk to Astra, see if she's willing to help with training the recruits. She can keep an eye on me for you."

"She'll be over for dinner," Cat offers when Kara stays quiet. "And she's been getting bored, so I'm sure she'd be willing to help."

"She doesn't much like humans though," Kara points out, pulling Alex back into her side and reaching out her other hand to wave Cat closer. It's clear that she's in need of the extra comfort, so Cat doesn't hesitate to give in and cross to Kara's side.

"She likes _us_ , so there's no harm in asking," Alex says thoughtfully. Cat agrees with Alex's logic, and thinks Astra will be willing to help, but this isn't the time to disagree with Kara. Later, when she's done processing the shift, then Cat will help her work through it.

For now the three women just sit comfortably on the couch in silence for a few moments, Kara soaking up their reassuring presence as Alex and Cat let her think.

X

It's not until Astra shows for dinner that conversation resumes, and Kara isn't happy about the new topic either.

"Why do you two have to embarrass me like this?" she whines as Alex can't stop laughing at the latest story. "It wasn't my fault Astra hadn't warned me about freeze breath yet."

"But it is your fault you froze the shower solid," Cat argues, voice carefully light so Kara knows she still isn't upset about the accident.

"At least you have a greater grasp on each of your powers now, Little One," Astra says diplomatically, earning a grateful look from Kara at the save.

"Okay, so I've explained my work, we've covered Kara's various adventures in exploring new abilities, Astra won't tell us anything beyond what she did to help Kara, that just leaves you Cat. What've you been up to?" Alex asks as they start on dessert.

"I've been writing," Cat says simply.

"I haven't seen any of your bylines popping up though," Alex says, looking at her in confusion.

"None of it has been published yet," Cat explains, looking at Kara as she does. "I've been talking to Astra and Kara both, but even if the world knows Astra it doesn't know about Kara yet. Publishing either story would change that, so until Kara decides what she wants to do, I'm not planning to publish."

"You could always change the names," Alex argues, clearly not sure what the problem is.

"But people would still know I was out there somewhere," Kara breaks in to explain. "Astra is concerned it might put me at risk if someone tried hard enough to find me."

"Your idea to become the hero of the people doesn't help my concerns," Astra adds, and Cat shakes her head at the fact that the old argument is flaring up again.

"Look, it's Kara's decision and not ours," she sighs tiredly, knowing that rehashing everything will only make Kara feel worse about things. "I know it's probably too much to ask for given who the four of us are, but how about we try for a nice, relaxing dessert for a change."

Astra looks ready to disagree, but this is Cat's home and Kara has made it clear that human or not she's owed respect, so the conversation switches to Astra and Alex swapping ideas for the new agency. It had taken the former General very little time to agree to help, though she did request the opportunity to train with Alex before officially accepting the offer.

The two end up leaving together as Alex explains the training regimen she'd been on so far, Astra critiquing nearly every bit of it as Kara watches with a smile.

"What's that look for?" Cat asks when the door closes behind them, coming to stand beside Kara.

"Astra used to criticize my instructors exactly the same way," Kara explains, the wistful smile that Cat's become very familiar with crossing her face. It's the same look Kara always gets when she remembers Krypton, and after months of helping sort through the memories, Cat can recognize it instantly. "I know she respects Alex for all she's done to protect me, but I think she's going to end up taking her as a protégé, as the daughter she never had."

"Does that bother you?" Cat has to ask, unable to tell from Kara's expression.

"Not at all, I think it'll be good for both of them," Kara says, her smile brightening as her attention turns outward once more. "Astra never had a child of her own, and Alex loves her mother but there's always been some strain there. I think they both need this."

"So you're okay with Alex leading the DEO?" Cat asks, unable to contain a small sneer at the name. She's been judging since Alex had told them what the organization would be called, but it isn't her choice and she supposes government agencies are rarely known for their clever anagrams.

"It would be awfully hypocritical of me to be upset with her and then decide to save the world myself," Kara says, face carefully blank as she searches Cat's eyes for a reaction.

"So you've decided then?" Cat asks softly, having suspected this was coming. "You're okay revealing yourself to the world?"

"With what I can do, I don't know how to sit back and let bad things happen around me," Kara says, and Cat nods. She'd seen how hard it was on Kara any time there was a story on the news that could have been prevented, is honestly surprised it's taken this long for Kara to decide.

"You'll need a plan, but I know this will make you happy," Cat murmurs before leaning up to give Kara a light kiss. When she pulls back she's graced with a blinding smile, and she knows her support means everything to the woman she's fallen so far in love with in so short a time.

They stay up for half the night planning everything from a name to a reveal, until Cat can't keep her eyes open any longer. Kara's already designed an outfit, taking inspiration from her aunt's old military uniforms, all that's left is making it. While she works on that, Cat will finish the last few touches on the article about Astra.

The media attention from that, from someone finally writing the un-writable article, should give Cat enough of a name in journalism that her second major article about Kara's appearance spreads far and wide, introducing the world to Supergirl in the most positive way possible. Names will be changed to protect Astra and Kara from discovery, and Cat has taken care to make Astra seem far more standoffish than she really is, as if her interactions with humanity are still as rare as they'd become over the years.

Supergirl's status as hero will make it different for her, harder to claim she doesn't interact with the world on a daily basis, especially when the article explains her human style childhood and loss of memory, but Cat thinks it'll still work out. No one expects a hero to be just like them, no one believes they could be next to someone extraordinary at any given moment.

Ultimately, Kara is willing to take the risk, and Cat is willing to take it with her. They've come this far, gone through so much together, if the world finds out the truth then so what? They'll have an entire government agency on standby to protect them, and the worst the world will see is two women in love. The can handle that.

Together, they can handle anything.


End file.
